A Sweet Story Behind a Familiar Name

Oh, my dear friend, you've probably eaten M&M's countless times without ever stopping to wonder about the name. Those two colorful letters are so familiar that "M&M" almost feels like a word of its own. But the initials actually have a very specific origin—and the story goes back to the people behind the candy itself.

So, what does M&M stand for?

The Simple Answer: Mars and Murrie

The name M&M's comes from the surnames of the two men involved in creating and launching the candy:

  • Forrest Mars Sr. of the Mars candy company

  • William F. R. Murrie, whose father, William Murrie, was president of Hershey at the time

The partnership brought together Mars's business ambitions and Murrie's connection to the chocolate industry. That collaboration gave the new candy its famous name: M&M's, with each "M" representing one of the men.

A Bit of History

The story of M&M's begins during the Spanish Civil War, when Forrest Mars Sr. was traveling in Europe. He noticed that soldiers were eating chocolate pellets with a hard, sugary coating that prevented them from melting. This inspired him to create a similar candy for the U.S. market.

After the war, Mars partnered with William Murrie, whose father was president of Hershey. The deal allowed Mars to use Hershey chocolate in the new candy, ensuring a reliable supply of high-quality chocolate. The candy was first introduced in 1941 and quickly became a favorite.

A Gentle Reminder

It's a lovely little piece of history, isn't it? Every time you reach for a handful of those colorful, bite-sized chocolates, you're tasting a piece of a partnership that began over 80 years ago.