In the name “M&M’s,” what do the two capital M’s represent?

The two capital M’s in “M&M’s” represent Mars and Murrie, the surnames of the candy’s two founding partners.

Forrest Mars Sr. of Mars, Incorporated developed the candy after seeing soldiers eating chocolate pellets with hard sugar shells during the Spanish Civil War. He partnered with Bruce Murrie, whose father, William Murrie, was president of Hershey. The partnership helped secure access to chocolate during wartime production.

M&M’s were first sold in the United States in 1941. Their shell prevented the chocolate from melting easily in the hand, making them practical for soldiers and later popular with the public.

A common mix-up is assuming the letters stand for the words “Mars” and “Melt,” but the second M refers specifically to Murrie. The brand later became one of the world’s best-known chocolate candies, with the familiar slogan about melting in the mouth rather than in the hand.