2016 marks the 75th year anniversary of M&M’s candies.
Originally designed to be part of WWII soldiers’ rations when conceived in 1941, M&M candies were first distributed in small cardboard tubes. The brightly colored candy has evolved over the years, expanding from plain and peanut to 10 varieties (milk chocolate, peanut, peanut butter, pretzel, crispy, dark chocolate, dark chocolate peanut, dark mint and mega-sized) along with an M&M’s candy bar.
Seasonal flavors, like cherry, pecan pie, pumpkin, candy corn, peppermint, chocolate strawberry, strawberry cheesecake and red velvet arrive for various holidays. There’s even been a birthday cake flavored version. M&M ice cream cones, ice cream sandwiches, and cakes are just as popular.
For the 75th anniversary, the classic Mars and Mars candy hopes fans will go nuts for three new flavors (along with an opportunity to vote for the one that becomes a regular): Chili Nut, Honey Nut and Coffee Nut.
The venerable chocolate button with a candy coating has spawned a niche industry of collectible toys, dispensers, kitchenware, clothing and boutique candies (where fans can have custom candies crafted to include their own logo or image). These delightfully delicious desirables are hosted by a colorful family of characters: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and Ms. Brown (each with their own character profiles on the M&M website).
Image and information from M&M website & Facebook page
Which flavor of M&Ms will you pick out next at the store and which one is your all-time favorite? Sound off on the comments below.