Frank Mars learned how to hand dip chocolate candy as a child from his mother Alva, who hoped to entertain him as he had a mild case of polio. He was head to toe into candy making, and his mother had a main role in supporting his talent. Frank Mars loved to do experiments on recipes. He became pretty good at making Molasses chips and began to sell Molasses chips at age 19.
Frank Mars started selling candy out of his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington in 1911. In 1920, Frank Mars and his wife moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Mars founded Mar-O-Bar Co. and began to manufacture chocolate candy bars. The company later incorporated as Mars, Incorporated.
In 1923, he introduced to the public the Milky Way bar, which by 1924 boasted sales of more than $800,000. Milky Way bar quickly became the best-selling candy bar on the market and his company became Mars, Inc. with $26 million in sales in 1930.
Frank's son, Forrest Sr., joined the company in 1929 and helped his father develop the malt-flavored nougat that became the basis of Milky Way.
Mars died of kidney and heart ailments at the age of 51 in 1934, with the ownership of the family business passing to his son Forrest.
Franklin Clarence Mars of Mars, Incorporated
