Candy Brand Wars: The Rivalries That Changed Snack History

Many of us have nostalgic feelings whenever we look at candy brands, such as Mars, Hershey, Skittles, or M&Ms on store shelves. All of their packages and tastes feel familiar, and it’s natural to love a few of them at the same time. But little do people know that behind these famous logos, there are stories of rivalries hidden that are not known by average candy lovers.

Today, no one is surprised by the fact that brands in the same industry compete with one another and try to stand out to keep their spot on the market. But the choices we make today are actually the result of rivalries between these candy brands that started a long time ago. Sometimes predicting which brand would win felt about as certain as playing games of chance, such as the BetFury Dice game, where you can’t guess the result before actually playing. But either way, these companies managed to survive and remained some of the most famous candy brands.

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 rivalries between famous candy brands that changed snack history. 

Hershey vs Mars

Not many candy brands get so famous as to define the snack history of the entire nation. But we can certainly say that about Hershey and Mars. In fact, it’s hard to find a kid in the United States who hasn’t heard of these candy brands and hasn’t tried their products.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Milton Hershey introduced the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar. That was the beginning of chocolate becoming a mass-produced American snack. Apparently, Mars witnessed the success of the brand and decided to enter the market. Soon, they created beloved chocolate products, such as Milky Way, Snickers, Mars bars, and eventually M&M’s. Strangely, these two brands weren’t really rivals.

Instead, Hershey was a supplier for Mars, and in 1941, Forrest Mars partnered with Bruce Murrie, the son of Hershey president William Murrie. This partnership is what created everyone’s favorite M&M’s. Believe it or not, that’s how the two M’s came from: Mars and Murrie.

Coke vs Pepsi

It’s true that Coca-Cola and Pepsi are soft drink companies rather than candy brands, but the rivalry between them is so obvious that this discussion wouldn’t be complete without discussing this matter. In fact, the competition between Coke and Pepsi is so famous that it’s known as the Cola Wars.

In 1886, Coca-Cola appeared on the market and led the industry for almost a decade, until Pepsi was created by Caleb Bradham in 1893. Pepsi struggled a lot for quite a while but eventually found a way to challenge Coca-Cola. What they did was offer more soda for the same price and focus on younger consumers. 

The peak of this rivalry was the so-called ‘Pepsi Challenge’ – Pepsi asked people to blind-taste the two drinks, and consumers preferred the sweeter taste of Pepsi over Coke. Coca-Cola’s reaction was even more aggressive marketing, and in the end, this competition moved beyond simple bottles of soda and remains until now.

Skittles vs M&M’s

Back to the candy rivalry, Skittles and M&M’s are often discussed together because of their resemblance in size, shape, and colorful appearance. Both come in small bite-sized pieces with candy shells and are usually sold in similar bags. Not surprisingly, they have always had similar customers, even though their content is different. 

Not many people know that these two candy brands actually belong to the same company. However, M&M’s were introduced in 1941, while Skittles appeared decades later and reached the United States in the 1970s. Today, both are owned by Mars. This means that it doesn’t really matter which option you choose; the same company benefits.

Reese’s vs Butterfinger

It’s hard to beat the combination of chocolate and peanut butter for Americans. But that’s exactly what both Reese’s and Butterfinger have tried to prove in two different ways for almost a century.

Butterfinger appeared first in 1923, while Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups was introduced a few years later in 1928. Even though both candies combine peanut butter with chocolate, their textures are different, and it’s noticeable. In particular, Reese’s is famous for its soft and creamy peanut butter center, while Butterfinger has a crunchy filling. 

Considering that their marketing strategies are also very different, both brands managed to survive despite the clear competition.

Oreo vs Hydrox

Finally, perhaps the most surprising candy rivalry is between Oreo and Hydrox. While Oreo is still very famous and people assume it came first, believe it or not, Hydrox actually appeared four years earlier. The thing that makes these brands rivals is that they are based on the same idea: two chocolate cookies with a sweet cream filling in the middle.

For some reason, Oreo eventually became the clear winner. It was probably because of its stronger marketing, a catchier name, and variations in the products. Right now, Hydrox is considered a copycat, while actually history shows the exact opposite.

Bottom Line

Not surprisingly, each one of these 5 rivalries between candy brands changed what ended up in stores today without us knowing the details of the fights behind familiar packages. Of course, some rivals stayed rivals, while others used the arguments for their advantage and turned into partners. Either way, that’s how snack history is usually created – by candy brands experimenting with packaging, mascots, celebrity campaigns, and unusual flavors.