That little letter does a lot more than simply look cute
Here’s Why Every M&M Has an “M” Stamp Jhalak
Published on Jan. 31, 2025
It’s hard not to love M&M’s. They’re the perfect bite-sized treats for chocolate lovers, and due to their colorful candy shells (and excellent marketing), we know that they will “melt in your mouth, not in your hand.” But given the number of times you’ve likely heard that slogan and consumed more of them than you probably want to admit, have you ever wondered why each M&M is stamped with a signature lowercase m?
While we’re asking questions about M&M’s, what do those m’s stand for, anyway? And how did everyone’s favorite candy come to be? There’s a lot more to the story than you may think, and we have the interesting facts to prove it! Read on to learn the delectable details.
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What do the m’s in M&M’s stand for?
The m’s in M&M’s stand for the last names of the candy’s creators—Forrest Mars Sr. and Bruce Murrie (son of Hershey president William Murrie). While the candy that eventually became known as M&M’s was Mars’s idea, he approached Murrie to partner with him on the project so that he’d have a steady supply of chocolate-making ingredients. In turn, Murrie received a 20% stake in the new candy and part of the candy’s name—the second m in M&M’s.
Why does every M&M have an m stamped on it?
The plain chocolate version of the candy was introduced in 1941, but in the early days, M&M’s were produced without the m stamp. Within 10 years of M&M’s existence, however, copycat candies hit the market, so the company started stamping each piece with the lowercase m to distinguish it from imitators.
“The lowercase m on the M&M was, of course, a great move to express authenticity—i.e., there’s only one true saucer-shaped, chocolate-shelled candy,” says Lois Najarian O’Neill, CEO and founder of the Door marketing group at Dolphin Entertainment. “But perhaps more important is the ultra-lucrative stream of income it produced later on by allowing M&M’s to be customized by regular consumers.”
The introduction of the m stamp in the 1950s also came with a fresh new slogan: “Look for the m on every piece.”
What do M&M’s have to do with the military?
The concept for M&M’s was inspired by a chocolate given to members of the military during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Mars was living in England at the time, after a falling out with his father, and he came across British volunteers eating these rationed treats. These chocolate candies were a little different, to be sure, but not much. History.com describes them as “small chocolate beads encased in a hard shell, which prevented melting.” Mars was intrigued by the idea of chocolate that wouldn’t melt in the summer or when subjected to other types of heat. Shortly thereafter, Mars partnered with Murrie and got a patent for the manufacturing process.
But that’s not the end of the military connection. During World War II, M&M’s were sold exclusively to the U.S. military—and used, again, as part of soldiers’ rations. Apparently, that crispy candy shell that only melts in your mouth, not in your hand, could also withstand melting while in a foxhole. Once the war was over, the company began selling them to the public, and an iconic candy was born.
How have M&M’s changed since they were created?
M&M’s haven’t changed much since they were created, but a number of specialty flavors have popped up over the years. Gone are the days when the only two varieties of M&M’s were plain and peanut (which, by the way, was introduced in 1954). Now, you can find flavors like peanut butter, caramel, almond, cookie crunch, pretzel and more. And, of course, there are also limited-edition flavors that occur seasonally, like Strawberries & Creme and Pumpkin Pie.
They also come in different hues. The original colors were red, yellow, violet, green and brown. Eventually, violet got the boot, and blue was added to the regular lineup. However, purple M&M’s are now a thing again (though you won’t see them in a regular bag), and you can pretty much choose any color to buy in bulk through the M&M’s website—something that’s perfect for baby-shower, wedding and other party favors if you want to go with a cohesive color-coordinated theme.
How has the M&M’s logo changed over the years?
In an effort to keep with what their fans know and love, M&M’s has stayed pretty close to its original logo. No massive rebranding here! The little m on the candy has remained remarkably consistent over the years—with the exception of one major detail. When Peanut M&M’s were introduced in 1954, the m on all M&M’s changed from black to white.
Sources:
- M&M’s: “Our History”
- History.com: “Six Times M&Ms Made History”
