Forrest Mars, Sr.

Forrest Edward Mars, Sr. (March 21, 1904 – July 1, 1999) was the driving force of the Mars candy empire. He is best known for inventing M&M's and the Mars bar, as well as orchestrating the launch of Uncle Ben's. He was the son of candy company Mars, Inc. founder Frank C. Mars and his first wife Ethel G. Mars (née Kissack).

Early life and career

Forrest was born in Wadena, Minnesota, and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta after his parents' divorce. He entered the University of California at Berkeley and later transferred to Yale University, where he completed a degree in industrial engineering in 1928.

Forrest joined his father at Mars, Inc. However the pair ran into a disagreement when Forrest wanted to expand abroad while his father did not. Forrest then took a buyout from his father and moved to England where he created the Mars bar while estranged from his father in 1933. In Europe, Forrest worked for Nestle and Tobler.

After he returned to the United States, Forrest started his own food business, Food Products Manufacturing, where he established the Uncle Ben's rice line and a gourmet food business. Forrest later developed M&M's, the chocolate candy covered in a crunchy shell which "melts in your mouth, not in your hands," in 1940. They were modeled after a candy that he had discovered while in Spain...
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