M&M's: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:24, 13 March 2025

Revision as of 19:08, 13 March 2025

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{{Short description|Brand of chocolate candy pieces}}

{{About|the candy|other uses|M&M (disambiguation){{!}}M&M}}

{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}

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[[File:M&m2.jpg|thumb|Peanut M&M's have a different shape.]]

'''M&M's''' are color-varied sugar-coated [[dragée]] [[chocolate]] [[confectionery]] by the Mars Wrigley Confectionery division of [[Mars Inc.]].

'''M&M's''' are color-varied sugar-coated [[dragée]] [[chocolate]] [[confectionery]], each of which has the letter "m" printed in [[lower case]] in white on one side, consisting of a candy shell surrounding a filling which varies depending upon the variety of M&M's. The original candy has a [[semi-sweet chocolate]] filling which, upon introduction of other variations, was branded as the "plain, normal" variety. Peanut M&M's, which feature a peanut coated in milk chocolate, and finally a candy shell, were the first variation to be introduced, and they remain a regular variety. Numerous other variations have been introduced, some of which are regular widespread varieties ([[peanut butter]], [[almond]], [[pretzel]], crispy, [[dark chocolate]], and [[caramel]]) while others are limited in duration or geographic availability. M&M's are the flagship product of the Mars Wrigley Confectionery division of [[Mars Inc.]]

The candy consists of a candy shell surrounding a filling which determines the specific type of M&M's. Each piece has the letter "m" printed in [[lower case]] in white on one side. They are produced in different colors, some of which have changed over the years.

'''M&M's''' are color-varied sugar-coated [[dragée]] [[chocolate]] [[confectionery]], each of which has the letter "m" printed in [[lower case]] in white on one side, consisting of a candy shell surrounding a filling which varies depending upon the variety of M&M's. The original candy has a [[semi-sweet chocolate]] filling which, upon introduction of other variations, was branded as the "plain, normal" variety. Peanut M&M's, which feature a peanut coated in milk chocolate, and finally a candy shell, were the first variation to be introduced, and they remain a regular variety. Numerous other variations have been introduced, some of which are regular widespread varieties ([[peanut butter]], [[almond]], [[pretzel]], crispy, [[dark chocolate]], and [[caramel]]) while others are limited in duration or geographic availability. M&M's are the flagship product of the Mars Wrigley Confectionery division of [[Mars Inc.]]

The candy originated in the United States in 1941,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JbOsI9RG8fYC&q=peanut+m&pg=PA84|title=Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober Pea|last=Smith|first=Andrew F.|date=2002|publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]]|isbn=9780252025532|language=en}}</ref> and M&M's have been sold in over 100 countries since 2003.<ref name="usat03"/> They are produced in different colors, some of which have changed over the years. The candy-coated chocolate concept was possibly copied by [[Forrest Mars Sr.]] from [[Smarties]], which he may have encountered during the [[Spanish Civil War]] (1936–1939).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/forrest-mars-mms-late-1930s/|title=Forrest Mars. M&Ms. Late 1930s|website=MoMA.org}}</ref> The sugar coating made it possible to carry chocolate in warm climates [[Melting point of chocolate|without it melting]]. The company's longest-lasting slogan reflects this: "the milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand."

The candy originated in the United States in 1941,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JbOsI9RG8fYC&q=peanut+m&pg=PA84|title=Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober Pea|last=Smith|first=Andrew F.|date=2002|publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]]|isbn=9780252025532|language=en}}</ref> and M&M's have been sold in over 100 countries since 2003.<ref name="usat03"/> They are produced in different colors, some of which have changed over the years. The candy-coated chocolate concept was possiblycreated copiedby by [[Forrest Mars Sr.]], likely inspired from [[Smarties]], which he may have encountered during the [[Spanish Civil War]] (1936–1939).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/forrest-mars-mms-late-1930s/|title=Forrest Mars. M&Ms. Late 1930s|website=MoMA.org}}</ref> The sugar coating made it possible to carry chocolate in warm climates [[Melting point of chocolate|without it melting]]. The company's longest-lasting slogan reflects this: "the milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand."

A traditional milk chocolate M&M weighs about 0.91 grams / 0.032 ounces<ref>Per M&M/Mars FAQ, [http://www.mymms.com/customer_service/FAQ.aspx#nq10 How many candies are in a bag?] mymms.com

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[[File:1941mandms.jpeg|thumb|right|[[Milk Chocolate]] M&M's were introduced in 1941.]]

In the 1930s, [[Forrest Mars Sr.]], son of the Mars Company founder, Frank[[Franklin C.Clarence Mars]], saw soldiers in the [[Spanish Civil War]] eating British-made [[Smarties]]. These are chocolate pellets with a colored shell of what confectioners call hard panning (essentially hardened sugar syrup) surrounding the outside, preventing the sweets (candies) from melting. Mars received a [[patent]] for his own process on March 3, 1941.<ref name="ForrestMarsSr">{{cite web|url=http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/mars.html |title=Inventor of the Week: Forrest Mars, Sr. |website=Lemelson-MIT Program |date=March 10, 2005 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050310105331/http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/mars.html |archive-date=March 10, 2005 }}</ref>

Production began in 1941 in a factory located at 285 Badger Avenue in [[Clinton Hill, Newark, New Jersey]]. When the company was founded it was M&M Limited.<ref name="virtualnewarknj.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.virtualnewarknj.com/memories/newark/bodianmm.htm |title=Looking Back at Newark Origins of World-Famous M&M Chocolates |website=Old Newark Memories |date=April 12, 1981 |access-date=February 21, 2013 |author1=Bodian, Nat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019111110/http://virtualnewarknj.com/memories/newark/bodianmm.htm |archive-date=October 19, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The two Ms represent the names of Forrest E. Mars Sr. and Bruce Murrie, the son of the [[The Hershey Company|Hershey Chocolate]]'s president, William F. R. Murrie, who had a 20 percent share in the product.<ref name="MurrieArchive">{{cite web |title=William F.R. Murrie, 1873-1950 |url=https://hersheyarchives.org/encyclopedia/murrie-william-f-r-1873-1950/ |website=Hershey Community Archives |publisher=The M.S. Hershey Foundation |access-date=January 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420200840/https://hersheyarchives.org/encyclopedia/murrie-william-f-r-1873-1950/ |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The arrangement allowed the candies to be made with Hershey chocolate, as Hershey had control of the [[ration]]ed chocolate at the time.<ref name="ForrestMarsSr" />