Snickers

Snickers is a chocolate bar with nougat, caramel and chopped peanuts, coated in milk chocolate. Made by the American company Mars, Incorporated since 1930, it is widely regarded as one of the best-selling candy bars in the world.

History

Mars introduced Snickers in 1930 at its candy factory in Chicago, shortly after the launch of Milky Way. The name honoured the favourite racehorse of the Mars family. The original bar combined nougat, peanuts and caramel under a chocolate coating, and its recipe, which included ingredients such as condensed milk and egg whites, has changed over the decades.

After Forrest Mars Sr. took over the company in the 1960s, he expanded the bar abroad. It reached Great Britain and West Germany in 1968. In Britain and Ireland it was sold as Marathon for many years, and both countries finally adopted the Snickers name in 1990. The range also grew with Snickers Munch, a crunchy version launched in 1970, and later with versions containing almonds, hazelnuts or pecans, as well as mini and dark chocolate bars.

Culture

Snickers is a familiar sight in vending machines, kiosks and convenience stores across much of the world, and sport has long been central to its marketing. It was named the official snack of the 1984 Summer Olympics, and between 1993 and 1998 the brand sponsored FIFA tournaments, as well as the 1996 European Championship. These campaigns tied the bar to physical effort and the pause in training.

Its advertising has also produced controversy, most notably a 2007 Super Bowl commercial that drew complaints from gay and lesbian groups. Local variations have appeared too. Deep-fried chocolate bars, including Snickers, became a specialty in fish-and-chip shops in Scotland in 1995, and they were popular at American state fairs in the early 2000s. Today the classic bar sits alongside seasonal editions and related products, such as an ice cream bar.

Trivia