[Lee Stewart]

M&M’s may be an all-American classic today, but these candy-coated chocolate buttons were inspired by another confection, Smarties. These British candies similarly have a chocolate interior and hard candy exterior. M&M’s were a big hit early on, especially with the U.S. armed forces — the military was M&M’s first big customer. The “melt in your mouth, not in your hand” tagline appealed to soldiers in tropical climates.