During the Spanish Civil War, Forrest Mars, Sr. saw soldiers eating hard-shelled chocolates, inspiring the mass production of M&Ms about a decade later in a Newark factory. The candy was named after the surnames of the company’s founders: Forrest Mars and William Murrie.

After the wartime company began to produce the candy for the general public. Shortly after it Forrest Mars bought out Murrie’s shares in the company and took sole ownership of the M&M brand. The familiar brown bag package that remains in use today was introduced in 1948. In 1950, the candies were imprinted with a black “m” (which changed to white in 1954) for customers to “Look for the M on every piece” to ensure they were getting the original candy. Anyway, the longest-lasting and the best known company's slogan is "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand."

By 1956 M&M’s had become No.1 candy in the United States. Now the candy is known and loved worldwide. Nowadays M&M's are sold in more than 100 countries. The brand is also famous for its funny television commercials, featuring hilarious spokescandies (well-known Red and Yellow and sometimes others).

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