We know that as women, we have many different jobs throughout our lives. We could be a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a mother—but the most special is a grandmother, because we know that the main reason we have grandmothers is so that they could spoil the grandchildren.
How many of you remember going to grandma's house when you were a kid and the first thing you do is rush to the little bowl she has next to the couch in the living room with all the candy in it? Sometimes it's covered candy or mints or Good & Plentys, but I think the most popular one is M&M's.
M&M's, the colorful button-shaped candies, have been a staple in American treat bowls and pockets since their introduction way back in 1941. M&M's have transcended their status as mere confections to become cultural icons. They even earned their trademark M stamped on each piece in 1950, which has since become a symbol of their unique identity, a candy that holds its shape without melting in your hand.
The colorful button-shaped chocolates have an enduring legacy that began in the 20th century, and here's how all of that started.
Forrest Mars Sr. is credited with the invention of M&M's. After a disagreement with his father, Frank C. Mars, Forrest went on to establish his own confectionery enterprise. In the early '40s, he partnered with Bruce Murrie, the son of, get this, Hershey Chocolate's president. Two rebel sons created the candy that would later be known as M&M's. The early recipes of M&M's were designed to be resilient. Ingredients included a hard sugar coating that encased a milk chocolate center, which was key to preventing the candies from melting. This made them popular with everyone.
During World War II, M&M's found their place in the military history by becoming a staple in the soldiers' rations. Their durability and convenience made them an ideal choice for troops on the move. They officially became part of the American soldiers' food. After World War II, the returning soldiers had developed a taste for M&M's, which spurred a civilian demand for the candy. The factory's production capacity had increased to a staggering 600,000 pounds of M&M's each week by the end of the war.
M&M's have seen a significant change with packaging. Did you know they were first sold in cardboard tubes? A design that eventually gave way to the now famous brown bags to keep the candy fresh and intact. M&M's quickly became recognizable through their distinctive advertising campaigns.
Red and Yellow, the original mascots, were introduced back in 1954. Over the years, M&M's has expanded its roster of mascots to include a variety of colorful characters, each with their unique personality.
Since its inception, M&M's chocolate candies have expanded far beyond their original form. Take the Peanut M&M's. Those were introduced in 1954.
The most important place M&M's could be is in grandma's house. When you go there, look for the M&M's. Do not open the big blue tin that has pictures of cookies on it because there are buttons in there.
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