The Milky Way candy bar, introduced in 1923, originated from an idea developed by Forrest Mars and brought to market by his father, Franklin Clarence Mars. This innovation transformed the industry, helping to establish a global food company that remains significant today. Franklin Mars built his commercial success through a series of ventures in the American confectionery sector.
Early Development and Initial Ventures
Born on September 24, 1883, in Walden Township, Minnesota, Franklin Mars spent his youth learning to hand-dip chocolate under the guidance of his mother, Alva. His formal education took place at the Breck School in Wilder, Minnesota. By the age of 19, he began selling molasses chips. In 1911, he launched the Mars Candy Factory in Tacoma, Washington, alongside his second wife, Ethel V. Mars. This initial wholesale operation faced stiff competition from established local firms such as Brown & Haley, ultimately leading to the closure of the factory.
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In 1920, the business relocated to Minneapolis, where Mars founded the Mar-O-Bar Co. This entity eventually incorporated as Mars, Incorporated. The company achieved substantial growth after the introduction of the Milky Way bar in 1923. In 1929, Mars moved his base of operations to Chicago, residing in River Forest, Illinois. During this period, he served as an honorary captain of the Oak Park police department. He followed the success of the Milky Way with the development of the Snickers bar in 1930.
The Milky Way Farm and Later Life
In the late 1920s, Mars acquired property in Pulaski, Tennessee, where he established a 2,800-acre estate known as Milky Way Farm. Construction of the facility required the labor of over 935 men from Giles County. The project included a 25,000-square-foot clubhouse, a horse racing track, and more than 30 barns. Although his horse Gallahadion won the Kentucky Derby in 1940, Mars did not live to witness this event.
Death and Legacy
Franklin Mars died at the age of 51 on April 8, 1934, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, suffering from heart and kidney complications. Control of the family enterprise passed to his son, Forrest Mars, Sr. While he was initially buried at the Tennessee farm, his remains and those of his wife, Ethel V. Mars, were later moved to a mausoleum at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. In 2004, his contributions to the industry were recognized with an induction into the Candy Hall of Fame.
Fast facts
- Born: 24 September 1883, Walden Township, Minnesota
- Died: 8 April 1934, Baltimore, Maryland
- Education: Breck School
- Key Innovations: Milky Way (1923), Snickers (1930)
- Notable Property: Milky Way Farm, Pulaski, Tennessee
- Awards: Candy Hall of Fame (2004)
- Burial Site: Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis
Questions readers ask
What were the primary candy bars developed by Franklin Mars?
He introduced the Milky Way bar in 1923 and the Snickers bar in 1930.
Where did Franklin Mars die?
He died at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on April 8, 1934.
Achievements
- Candy Hall of Fame — 2004
- Educated at Breck School
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