Building More than a Brand or Company

The Snickers bar couldn’t exist today without the hard work of its company’s founders. That’s right; Frank and Ethel Mars created the Mars Candy Factory way back in 1911. This confectionery, first based out of Washington, later relocated to Minnesota. The name then became Mars, Inc.

In 1920, Frank and Ethel lived in an apartment above a single room used for their business. Frank struggled for ages to create a candy that would really redefine the business. His first major success was the Milky Way Bar; the Snickers bar would become the second and his most successful. 

The Candy Bar Named After a Horse

Snickers bars have captivated the US for over 80 years now. Frank Mars created the candy bar back in 1930. He knew just what to name it: Snickers, after his horse. The Milky Way family farm began manufacturing the Snickers for 20 cents a bar.

Now, back in those days, most candy bars cost around 5 cents. So why was Snickers so expensive?

Part of the answer is that it wasn’t like the other candy bars of the time. Instead, it was a scrumptious combination of nougat, caramel, and peanuts.

Some people expected the bars to go out of style due to their high prices. But that turned out to be far from the case!

Secret of Success

The Mars company became one of the most successful candy companies in the world. Meanwhile, many other confectioneries closed their doors as the years passed. So, what contributed to the company’s success?

One of the biggest factors was meticulousness. Forrest Mars was the son of the original owners. He had a long professional background in chocolate-making, and he took his work very seriously. It was important to him that he refine the perfect chocolate recipes.

In fact, one employee of the time stated that the company would choose more expensive production methods for a better product. When the company was successful, Forrest Mars rewarded the workers. He had a strong sense of overall goals and growth.

From Father to Son

Thanks to the passion, hard work, and ambition of Forrest Mars Jr., he was able to take over the business from his parents. He became the owner of the confectionery in 1964.

After he took over, the culture at the company shifted. He instilled a sense of individuality and equality by flattening the organization. Instead of having a chain of command, any employee could offer branding and product ideas.

Many other candy bars have not been on the market for decades. The Snickers continues to sell well because the Mars company continually refines the formula instead of introducing new products.

The candy’s formula was tweaked in 1960, adding peanut butter nougat to the original recipe. A Snickers bar with 10 percent more peanuts began hitting the shelves in 1996.

Worldwide Impact

The combination of caramel and chocolate was so irresistible that the candy bar became the best-selling option all over the globe. Today, Mars has stores in 65 countries. You can also find their products in more than 100 countries.

The United Kingdom sold the same Snickers products from the same company, but they labeled the packages as Marathon Bars. This led to confusion over the differences between the two candies. Since there were no differences, the company changed its international branding for worldwide consistency.

Nowadays, some people in the UK still do refer to “Marathon Bars.” This could mean one of two things. They might be remembering the first Snickers branding or recalling a discontinued candy bar from an entirely different company.

In addition, the Mars company sells a “Marathon” Snickers bar that’s branded as an energy source. However, they taste just as great as you’d expect them to! View here to learn more about the history of Snickers.