What Does M&M Stand For?

M&M's is one of the most recognized candies in the world — but what does M&M even mean? Well, the short answer is that it's a reference to Forrest Mars Sr. and Bruce Murrie, the creators behind the brand. More than that, its name is a subtle acknowledgement of the candy's history, which is tied not only to World War II, but also directly to two of the biggest players in the candy industry.

M&M's story actually begins in the second generation of Mars Incorporated, during a hectic time in the Mars family and the company's history. Simply put, Forrest and his father, Frank, had a strained relationship that eventually led Forest to start his own business in Europe. During this time, Mars visited Spain during its Civil War, where he noticed that soldiers were eating hard chocolate rations coated with hard sugar. Inspired, Mars took his concept back to the United States, where the second "m" in the candy's name enters: Bruce Murrie, the son of then-President of Hershey's, William F.R. Murrie. Upon returning to the United States, Mars offered Bruce 20% ownership of the candy that would become M&M's, with the promise that its formula would exclusively use Hershey's chocolate. Similar to the candies that first inspired Mars, M&M's became part of the rations for World War II soldiers, since the treats traveled well and maintained their structure.

Although there's no definitive confirmation, many suspected that the inspiration for M&M's was actually Nestlé Smarties, a popular candy in the United Kingdom. This makes sense, as the candy has been around since 1937 and matches the description of candy-coated chocolate pellets (not to be confused with a U.S. candy also called Smarties, which is a tangy, chalky, fruit-flavored treat). What may embolden a suspicion of Mars essentially taking the idea for himself is that he worked for the Nestlé family after relocating to the United Kingdom. Further, while Mars eventually bought Murrie out of his 20% stake, placing him as the sole owner of M&M's, there's currently no accreditation of Murrie's involvement on M&M's official site. Whether or not this was intentional, it's worth noting that when Murrie's daughter asked Mars why her father's work was never publicly acknowledged, Forrest Sr. simply replied that Bruce's legacy is recognized with each "m" stamp on the chocolate candy.

To date, M&M's have become a household icon and are considered to be a flagship candy of Mars Inc. Among the treat's cultural impacts, M&M's were the first candy to reach space, but since NASA doesn't endorse branded products, they were simply referred to as "candy-coated chocolates" by the space agency. There are also entire stores dedicated to M&M's where patrons can purchase branded merchandise and just about any of its colors and types; one location of which is the biggest candy store in the world. They're also an excellent way to bring your baked goods to the next level, and the brand has also teamed up with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media as part of its 2022 inclusivity commitment. All of which speaks to why both families of its creators should be proud.