THE вЂњMвЂќS WERENвЂ™T PRINTED ON THE CANDY AT FIRST. The two MвЂ™s didnвЂ™t see eye-to-eye on the companyвЂ™s direction, however, so in 1949 Mars bought out Murrie for $1 million and took control. Murrie received a 20% stake in the company, and for several years M&M's were made using HersheyвЂ™s chocolate. In addition to a financial partner, Murrie turned out to be a strategic ally for Mars since HersheyвЂ™s dominated the production of rationed chocolate during World War II. THE TWO MвЂ™S STAND FOR вЂњMARSвЂќ AND вЂњMURRIE.вЂќДЄfter Mars came up with the idea for M&M's, he approached Bruce Murrie, son of HersheyвЂ™s Company president William Murrie, about going into business together. Whatever the case, Forrest Mars developed a manufacturing process for M&M's Chocolate Candies, patented it, and in 1941 began making them out of a factory in Newark, New Jersey. The early success of Smarties may have caused a light bulb to go off in MarsвЂ™ brain. English candy maker RowntreeвЂ™s of York came out with Smarties, the hard-shelled chocolate candies, in 1937, during MarsвЂ™ prolonged stay. But it may also be a cover for a much less revolutionary truth: That Mars copied the idea from another company.

This was a revelation to Mars who, like any good candy maker, knew that chocolate sales plummeted during the summertime, for obvious reasons. The story goes that on a visit to Spain during the countryвЂ™s civil war, he observed soldiers eating chocolate candies encased in a hard, sugary shell. SPANISH CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS PROVIDED THE INSPIRATION.ДЇorrest Mars Sr., son of the Mars candy company founder, had a falling out with his illustrious father, and in 1932 went to England to try and go it alone in the confectionery business.

Here are a few colorful facts to snack on. Red or green? Milk chocolate or peanut? Mega or mini? You may know your favorite color and variety of M&M's, but thereвЂ™s still a lot you probably donвЂ™t know about the candy that melts in your mouth, not in your hand.

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