M&M’s Milk Chocolate Red White & Blue Summer Candy Sharing Size

M&M’s Milk Chocolate Red, White & Blue Summer Candy Sharing Size is a festive and colorful chocolate treat made with smooth milk chocolate centers wrapped in crunchy candy shells inspired by patriotic summer celebrations. Featuring vibrant red, white, and blue colors, these bite-sized candies are perfect for parties, cookouts, beach trips, and holiday gatherings like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

The Beginning of Mars

The Mars company was founded by Frank C. Mars in 1911. He started making candy in his kitchen in Washington state. Over time, Mars created famous candy bars such as the Milky Way and 3 Musketeers. The company eventually grew into today’s Mars, Incorporated, one of the world’s largest privately owned food companies.

How M&M’s Were Invented

Frank Mars’s son, Forrest Mars Sr., traveled in Europe during the 1930s. During the Spanish Civil War, he reportedly saw soldiers eating chocolate covered with a hard sugar shell that prevented it from melting easily. That idea inspired him.

In 1940–1941, Forrest partnered with Bruce Murrie, whose father was a Hershey executive. Because Hershey had access to chocolate during wartime rationing, the partnership made business sense. The candy was named M&M’s after Mars and Murrie.

The first M&M’s were produced in 1941. Their hard candy shell kept the chocolate from melting, making them ideal for military rations during World War II. Early production was sold primarily to U.S. military personnel.  Once the war ended, M&M’s became available to the general public and quickly became popular. Forrest Mars later bought out Bruce Murrie’s share and gained full control of the brand.

Mars is still family-owned and remains one of the largest private companies in the world. Besides M&M’s, it owns brands such as:

• Snickers
• Twix
• Skittles
• Pedigree
• Whiskas