Why Every M&M's Candy Is Stamped With A Little 'M' 

M&M's has expanded its product line with plenty of exciting new flavors and variations over the years, from PB&J M&M's to Key Lime Pie M&M's. But one iconic detail unites every variety of the candy that melts in your mouth, not in your hands: the signature lowercase "m" printed on one side of each piece.

Mars Inc. introduced the trademark detail in 1950 to distinguish real-deal M&M's from imitations. The fresh addition was paired with a fitting slogan: "Look for the m on every piece." The stamp was originally black, but was changed to white in 1954 (the same year Peanut M&M's were introduced, and thus a critical year in candy history). Even as M&M's colors come and go, and flavors have been introduced and tragically discontinued — we're looking at you, crispy M&M's — the stamp has remained consistent.

The M&M's stamp is an excellent example of subtle yet effective food marketing. For over 70 years, almost every lentil (the proper name for a single M&M, per the hidden lingo behind many favorite snack foods) has been emblazoned with the signature stamp, which is now in turn imprinted in all of our brains. And in that same period, no other colorful candy-coated chocolate analog has been able to compete with M&M's in the United States. Think about it: When was the last time you bought off-brand M&M's?

All of this begs the question: What does the "m" stand for? The M&M's name references the initials of the chocolate company's two co-founders, Forrest Mars Sr. and Bruce Murrie (both the sons of chocolate company executives). Mars bought out Murrie's share of the company in 1946, four years before the stamp was introduced, which means we can safely assume the "m" stands for Mars. So the next time you're stuffing your mouth (or your leftover Halloween candy brownies) full of M&M's, take a minute to appreciate the true meaning and history behind that iconic little m."