A Mars confectionery brand known for colorful candy-coated chocolate pieces.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
M&M's is a global confectionery brand owned by Mars, Incorporated and operated within the Mars Wrigley business. Its core product is a small chocolate confection covered by a hard, colored sugar shell and printed with a lowercase white “m.” The shell helps protect the chocolate from heat and handling, a practical feature that shaped the brand's original appeal and its enduring advertising language about chocolate melting in the mouth rather than in the hand. The product was developed in the United States by Forrest E. Mars Sr. in partnership with Bruce Murrie, whose father led Hershey. The two initials in the name refer to Mars and Murrie. The partnership also gave the new business access to Hershey chocolate during the period when chocolate supplies were rationed. Production began in 1941 in Newark, New Jersey, following the grant of a United States patent for the manufacturing process. The United States Army became an important early customer because the candy could be carried by service members in hot climates. During the Second World War, sales were initially concentrated on military channels, and rising demand led to factory expansion. The original product was a semi-sweet or milk-chocolate center in a candy shell, later identified in some markets as the Plain or Milk Chocolate variety. Peanut M&M's arrived in 1954 and became the brand's principal permanent extension. Almond, Peanut Butter, Crispy, Pretzel, Dark Chocolate, Caramel, Fudge Brownie, Crunchy Cookie and other varieties followed over subsequent decades, although availability has varied by market and period. The brand has also expanded into Minis, Mega pieces, cookies, chocolate bars, blocks and seasonal products. Color is central to the brand's identity. Brown, yellow, red, green, orange, blue and other colors have been used at different times. Red was withdrawn in the 1970s amid public concern about food dyes and returned in 1987; blue replaced tan in the United States after a consumer vote in 1995. M&M's also developed a recognizable cast of animated “spokescandies,” whose contrasting personalities support television, digital, packaging and experiential marketing. Purple was introduced as a new character and product color in 2022. International expansion accelerated during the 1980s, with the brand entering markets including Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. In several European markets, M&M's replaced locally established Mars products such as Treets and Bonitos. The brand is now sold in more than 100 countries, with product recipes, names, colors and limited editions adapted to local markets. M&M's has repeatedly used entertainment, sports and promotional partnerships to build awareness. Campaigns have connected the brand with films including Shrek 2 and Star Wars: Episode III, while its long-running Christmas advertising featuring Red, Yellow and Santa Claus became a recurring seasonal property. The brand also maintained a major NASCAR sponsorship, particularly through driver Kyle Busch, from 1990 until Mars ended its primary NASCAR sponsorship after the 2022 season. M&M's remains a mass-market, highly recognizable chocolate candy brand, positioned around fun, color, sharing, customization and character-led humor.
History
M&M's originated from Forrest E. Mars Sr.'s interest in a sugar-coated chocolate confection that could withstand warm conditions. The concept was reportedly influenced by British Smarties, which Mars may have encountered during the Spanish Civil War era. Mars partnered with Bruce Murrie, the son of Hershey president William F. R. Murrie. Their surnames supplied the two initials in the brand name, and the partnership helped secure chocolate during wartime rationing. A United States patent was granted on March 3, 1941, and production began that year at a Newark, New Jersey, facility. The United States Army recognized the product's portability and became an important early customer. M&M's were sold primarily through military channels during the Second World War, and demand subsequently required larger production facilities. The business moved within Newark and then to Hackettstown, New Jersey, in 1958. A second major United States factory opened in Cleveland, Tennessee, in 1978. The brand's first major extension was Peanut M&M's, introduced in 1954. The printed “m” was initially black in 1950 and changed to white in 1954. Product colors also evolved: yellow, red and green were added in 1960; orange was added in 1976 after red was removed during public concern about certain red dyes; and red returned in 1987. In 1995, a consumer vote selected blue to replace tan in the United States. M&M's expanded internationally during the 1980s, entering Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. In parts of Europe, the brand replaced Mars products sold under names such as Treets and Bonitos. Seasonal products appeared in the 1980s, and almond M&M's returned as a regular product in the early 1990s after earlier limited availability. Peanut Butter arrived in 1991, Minis in 1996 and Crispy in 1999. During the 2000s and 2010s, Mars broadened the range through film promotions, oversized pieces, chocolate bars, cookies, blocks and new fillings. Notable introductions included Pretzel in 2010, a relaunched Crispy product in 2015, cookies in the United States in 2016, Caramel in 2017 and several limited editions. Fudge Brownie appeared in the United States in 2020 and was discontinued in 2024. Purple was announced as a new color and character in 2022. Marketing has been as important as product development. The brand's characters, color system, customized merchandise and computer animation turned individual candies into recurring fictional personalities. M&M's advertising has included the “melts in your mouth, not in your hand” positioning, the “All the World Loves M&M's” campaign, holiday advertising, sports sponsorship and tie-ins with major films. Mars also sponsored NASCAR for decades, with Kyle Busch serving as the most prominent recent driver associated with the brand. M&M's continues as an active Mars Wrigley brand sold internationally, with assortments and recipes differing by market.
- 2022
Purple character announced
[1]Mars announces Purple as a new M&M's character and color.
- 2010
Pretzel M&M's launches
[1]A pretzel-centered product extends the brand into a salty-and-sweet format.
- 1996
M&M's Minis launches
[1]The brand introduces smaller pieces commonly sold in plastic tubes.
- 1995
Blue wins the Color Campaign
[1]Consumers select blue as the new M&M's color in a nationally publicized promotion.
- 1991
Peanut Butter variety launches
[1]M&M's adds a peanut-butter-filled variety to its regular product development program.
- 1987
Red returns
[1]The red candy color, removed in the 1970s, returns to the product mix.
- 1978
Cleveland factory opens
[1]Mars opens a second major United States production facility in Cleveland, Tennessee.
- 1954
Peanut M&M's launches
[1]The first major alternate variety combines a peanut, milk chocolate and a candy shell.
- 1949
Signature slogan introduced
[1]The brand adopts the positioning that its milk chocolate melts in the mouth rather than in the hand.
- 1941
United States production begins
[1]M&M's begins commercial production in Newark, New Jersey, after the manufacturing process receives a United States patent.
Products and positioning
Mass-market, colorful and character-led chocolate confectionery associated with sharing, portability, customization and playful entertainment marketing.
Chocolate candy · 1941
M&M's Milk Chocolate
The original core variety consists of a milk-chocolate center enclosed in a colored sugar shell. It was historically called Plain in the United States after Peanut M&M's created the need to distinguish the original product. The pieces carry the brand's characteristic lowercase white “m.”
Chocolate candy · 1954
M&M's Peanut
Introduced in 1954, Peanut M&M's place a whole peanut inside milk chocolate and a candy shell. The variety became one of the brand's enduring mainstream products and established the template for many later filled varieties.
Filled chocolate candy · 1991
M&M's Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter M&M's were introduced in 1991. They use a peanut-butter center surrounded by chocolate and the standard colored shell, providing a softer filling and a stronger roasted-peanut profile than the whole-peanut variety.
Chocolate candy · 1996
M&M's Minis
M&M's Minis are smaller versions of the traditional pieces. The format was introduced in the 1990s and was associated with tube packaging, making it suitable for snacking, sharing and portion-oriented use.
Filled chocolate candy · 1999
M&M's Crispy
Crispy M&M's use a crunchy wafer-style center. The variety debuted in 1999, was discontinued in the United States in 2005, returned in 2015 and was discontinued again in 2022 in favor of Crunchy Cookie in that market.
Filled chocolate candy · 2010
M&M's Pretzel
Pretzel M&M's combine a crunchy pretzel center with milk chocolate and a candy shell. The product represents the brand's broader strategy of combining contrasting textures and sweet-and-salty flavor cues.
Filled chocolate candy · 2017
M&M's Caramel
Caramel M&M's add a caramel center to the chocolate-and-shell construction. A further caramel variety was introduced in the 2010s as part of the brand's continuing rotation of filled products.
Baked snack · 2016
M&M's Cookies
M&M's cookies extend the brand beyond individual candies by incorporating M&M's pieces into a baked cookie format. The product began United States sales in 2016.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2005Star Wars: Episode III promotion
United States
The brand promoted the Star Wars film release with dark-chocolate versions of regular and Peanut M&M's.
Outcome. Used a major entertainment release to support flavor and packaging variation.
- 2004Colour My World advertising
United States
M&M's advertising adopted a newly recorded version of Petula Clark's “Colour My World,” linking the song's color theme to the brand's visual identity.
Outcome. Extended the use of music and color in television advertising.
- 2004Shrek 2 promotion
United States
Mars connected M&M's with the release of Shrek 2, including oversized pieces and colors associated with the film's ogre theme.
Outcome. Expanded the brand's film tie-in and limited-edition playbook.
- 1996Christmas Red and Yellow commercial
United States
A holiday advertisement depicts the Red and Yellow characters encountering Santa Claus. Its recurring seasonal broadcast made it one of the brand's best-known advertising assets.
Outcome. Became a long-running annual holiday commercial.
- 1995M&M's Color Campaign
United States
Consumers voted on a new candy color, with blue defeating purple and pink. The result received extensive television coverage and was marked by blue lighting on the Empire State Building.
Outcome. Introduced blue and generated substantial publicity.
- 1990NASCAR sponsorship
United States
Mars began sponsoring NASCAR, later associating M&M's prominently with drivers including Kyle Busch and with several racing series and events.
Outcome. Built a long-running connection between the brand, motorsport and fan engagement; the primary relationship ended after 2022.
- 1982All the World Loves M&M's
United States
A television campaign used the slogan and a matching jingle to present M&M's as a broadly loved chocolate candy.
Outcome. Reinforced the brand's mass-market identity.
- 1941Military portability positioning
United States
M&M's were supplied through military channels because the candy shell helped protect chocolate in hot conditions, establishing portability as an early product benefit.
Outcome. Helped generate early demand and production expansion.
Brand decisions
2022
Introduction of PurpleProduct launchBackground
The brand continued to use color and character additions to refresh its identity.
Action taken
Mars announced Purple as a new M&M's color and spokescandy.
Aftermath
Purple expanded the brand's character-led communications and color range.
1995
Selection of blue as a brand colorOtherBackground
Mars used a public vote to choose a replacement for tan.
Action taken
Consumers selected blue from the campaign's color choices.
Aftermath
Blue became a permanent part of the United States M&M's color system and later the identity of the Blue character.
1976
Removal of red candiesOtherBackground
Public concern about the safety of certain red food dyes affected consumer confidence in red-colored foods.
Action taken
Mars removed red M&M's and added orange to the color assortment.
Aftermath
Red returned in 1987 after the controversy had subsided; the product had used a different red dye from the one at issue.
1954
Launch of Peanut M&M'sProduct launchBackground
Mars sought to broaden the original chocolate-centered product with a substantial center.
Action taken
Introduced a peanut covered in milk chocolate and a candy shell.
Aftermath
The variety became a permanent flagship of the brand.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
M&M's updates its character designs[4]
M&M's updated the appearance of its advertising characters, including changing one female character's footwear from high heels to sneakers and putting the other in lower heels. The changes had already been rolled out online.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Mars Wrigley recalled M&M’s Crispy products[3]
Mars Wrigley recalled several batch codes of M&M’s Crispy products after a supplier-produced ingredient was found to contain a genetically modified organism that was not authorized for the ingredient under UK law.
Reported
M&M'S announces three new experiential stores[5]
Mars Retail Group announced plans to open three M&M'S retail locations over the next two years: Disney Springs in Orlando, Mall of America in Minneapolis, and the brand's first store in continental Europe, in Berlin.
Sources5 sources
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