History and Types of M&M's Candy: Colors, Flavors, Fun Facts

The History of M&M's Candy

M&M's are one of the most iconic and popular brands of candy-coated chocolates. They are recognizable by their colorful candy shells and "melt in your mouth, not in your hand" slogan. M&M's have come a long way since their invention in 1941 and now come in a wide variety of flavors, colors, and seasonal varieties.

The Origins of M&M's

M&M's were created in 1941 during World War II by Forrest Mars Sr., son of the founder of the Mars candy company. Forrest had witnessed soldiers eating small chocolate beads covered in a hard sugar shell during the Spanish Civil War and was inspired to create a candy with a similar concept.

Forrest approached Bruce Murrie, son of Hershey's president William Murrie, to help finance and produce the new candy. Together they formed M&M Limited which created the trademarked M&M's brand using a hard sugar shell coating invented by Mars.

The name M&M's is derived from the last names of Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie - M + M. The candy was first sold to the public in 1941 and was marketed specifically to soldiers as they traveled well compared to regular chocolate bars.

Growth in Popularity

Once WW2 ended, M&M's were made available for civilian consumption in 1948. They slowly grew in popularity over the next decades thanks to savvy marketing campaigns and slogans such as "melts in your mouth, not in your hand."

In the 1950s, M&M's added more colors and debuted the characters "Red" and "Yellow" as their mascots. By the 1970s, M&M's had become the top-selling candy in the United States.

Today M&M's are one of the most successful and recognizable candy brands in the world with sales over $1 billion annually. They are sold in over 100 countries and have expanded to many color, flavor and seasonal varieties.

Standard M&M's Colors and Flavors

The original M&M's candies only came in five standard colors - brown, yellow, red, orange and green. Each color had its own unique flavor and mascot character. Over the years more colors and flavors have been added for holidays, promotions and diversity initiatives.

Original Colors and Flavors

• Brown - Milk chocolate flavor
• Yellow - Peanut flavor
• Red - Strawberry flavor
• Orange - Orange chocolate flavor
• Green - Dark chocolate flavor

New Additions

Here are some of the new colors that have been added to the classic M&M's lineup over the years:

• Blue - First appeared in 1995. Blueberry flavor.
• Purple - First appeared in 2019 for inclusion. Raspberry flavor.
• Teal - First appeared in 2020 for diversity. Mint chocolate flavor.
• Pink - First appeared in 2020 for inclusion. Cake batter or strawberry flavor.

Unique Flavor Varieties

Beyond the classic colors and flavors, Mars has created many unique and limited edition M&M's over the years. Some of the most popular include:

Peanut M&M's

Launched in 1954, these have a peanut center. Often colored in brown, tan, red and orange shells.

Almond M&M's

Released in 1988 for a short time. Have an almond instead of a peanut in the center.

Pretzel M&M's

Arrived in 1994 with a pretzel center covered in milk chocolate and a crunchy colored shell.

Mega M&M's

Larger candies introduced in 2000. About 55% bigger than original M&M's.

Crispy M&M's

Came out in 1999. Have a crispy rice center inside the colored shell.

Mint Crisp M&M's

Combine mint chocolate filling with a crunchy center. Were first released in 2000.

M&M's for Holidays and Special Occasions

M&M's are often produced in specialty seasonal colors and flavors for holidays like Valentine's Day, Halloween, Christmas and more. Some popular varieties include:

Valentine's Day

Usually red, pink and white colors. Often have sayings printed on them.

Easter

Springtime pastel colors like yellow, lavender, light green and robin's egg blue.

Halloween

Orange and black colors. Some feature spooky faces or pumpkin shapes.

Christmas

Red, green and white M&M's. Some are shaped like Christmas trees and wreaths.

America The Beautiful

Patriotic red, white and blue M&M's. Released near Independence Day.

Unique Marketing Campaigns

M&M's have run many unique and memorable marketing campaigns that have cemented their popularity and public appeal over the years. Here are some notable ones:

"Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hand"

This slogan was introduced in 1954 to highlight how M&M's melt in the mouth thanks to their hard outer shell. It endured for decades.

Spokescandies

The 1950s saw the introduction of the iconic M&M's characters like Red and Yellow to personify the candy colors.

M&M's World Stores

These brand stores offering M&M's merchandise and custom candy first opened in 1997. There are now locations globally.

"Become An M&M's Character"

For over a decade, fans could visit MMs.com to create their own personalized M&M's character and order custom candies.

Pre-Movie Ads

M&M's have run colorful and humorous animated ads before major movie releases since at least 1982.

Sports Sponsorships

M&M's sponsor many high profile sporting events including NASCAR racing.

Nutrition Facts

Like most candies, M&M's are considered more of a treat than a health food. But they can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Here are the basic nutrition facts for standard M&M's:

Serving Size

A typical single size package of M&M's contains 1.69 ounces (48g). About ~55 candies.

Calories and Fat

One packet has 240 calories and 8g of fat. Most of the fat is from cocoa butter and milk fat.

Carbohydrates and Protein

There are 37g of carbohydrate including 32g of sugar. There is 2g of protein per serving.

Vitamins and Minerals

M&M's provide small amounts of vitamins like riboflavin and minerals like calcium from the milk ingredients.

Buying and Storing M&M's

M&M's can be purchased at almost any grocery store, convenience store, vending machine or online retailer. Here are some tips for buying and storing them:

Where to Buy

Purchase M&M's in the candy aisle at supermarkets and stores like Walmart, Target, gas stations, movie theaters, airports and more. Many offer individual packets.

Online Purchasing

All types of M&M's can be bought online through retailers like Amazon, directly from Mars, and sites offering custom orders.

Best By Date

M&M's usually have a best by date about 9-12 months after production. This is the last date they are at peak freshness and flavor.

Storage Method

Keep unopened M&M's in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Once opened, they can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature.

Freezing

You can freeze M&M's for extended storage. Place them in an airtight container or bag. Thaw before eating for best texture.

Fun Facts About M&M's

Over their 80+ years, M&M's have garnered some interesting facts, records and trivia:

• M&M's melt at about 97°F because of the milk chocolate interior.
• Over 400 million individual M&M's are produced daily.
• The candy shells are colored using natural dyes like beet juice and turmeric.
• Blue M&M's were retired in 1995 but brought back by popular demand in 1996.
• The original colors were intended to mimic real life desserts like brownies and oranges.
• Honey Nut, Cherry and Coffee Nut M&M's were short-lived flavors introduced in the 1990s.
• 1976 saw the debut of the classic M&M's characters Mr. Red and Mr. Yellow.
• M&M's mini candies were released in 1960 and are still popular today.

M&M's have become an iconic American candy thanks to their smart branding, pop culture status, and appeal to chocolate and peanut lovers everywhere. They will likely continue innovating new varieties to please fans for decades to come.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.