What Problem Did M&M's Solve?

The “M’s” in M&Ms stand for Mars and Murrie. Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie are the unlikely duo behind one of the world’s most famous candies.

In the 1940s, soldiers needed chocolate that wouldn’t turn to mush in their pockets. So Mars and Murrie developed a clever fix: wrap the chocolate in a thin, crunchy shell made of sugar. It looked like candy, but it acted like armor.

Why didn’t it melt? Because sugar melts at a much higher temperature than chocolate; around 320°F, compared to chocolate’s softening point near 90°F. That hard coating kept things neat and sweet, even in battlefield heat.

Originally made just for the military, M&Ms were such a hit that they went public after the war. And that’s when the classic line was born: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”

One more fun twist: the “Murrie” part of M&Ms eventually disappeared behind the scenes. Mars bought out his partner, but kept the name. So both initials stayed, even if only one man stayed at the company.

Try this at home:
Can you invent your own candy with a problem-solving twist? What would yours be made to do?