Mars—the first M in M&M’s—visited Spain during its Civil War (1936–39), where he saw soldiers enjoying in their rations small chocolates with hard sugar coatings that prevented melting. Upon returning to the US, Mars made his own chocolate pellets and brought the idea to the president of Hershey Chocolate Corporation, William F. R. Murrie (the second M). Mars proposed a temporary partnership in which Hershey would provide capital and chocolate, as the company held control of rationed chocolate during WWII. His design was patented in 1941, and M&M Ltd. began production in Newark, New Jersey. Originally, the chocolates were packaged in cardboard tubes and only available to the military.

Gallery label from

Pirouette: Turning Points in Design, January 26, 2025–November 15, 2025

Manufacturer Mars, Inc., USA
Medium Milk chocolate coated with a candy shell
Dimensions 3/8 x diam. 1/2" (1 x 1.3 cm)
Credit Gift of the manufacturer
Object number 162.2005
Department Architecture & Design

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