Who Owns Milky Way?

Milky Way was introduced in 1923 by Frank C. Mars, founder of the company that would become Mars, Incorporated. It was one of the first mass-produced candy bars in the United States and helped establish Mars as a major confectionery company.

The bar combined chocolate nougat, caramel, and milk chocolate in a format that was novel for the era and accessible to working-class consumers as an affordable sweet treat. The name was inspired by a malted milk drink of the era, not the galaxy.

US vs. European formulation: There is a significant and frequently misunderstood distinction between the American and European versions of Milky Way. The US Milky Way bar is equivalent to the European Mars Bar (chocolate nougat, caramel, milk chocolate coating). The European Milky Way is a different, lighter product with only aerated nougat in a thin chocolate coating, positioned as a lighter snack. The Mars Bar, which uses the same recipe as the US Milky Way, is sold separately in European markets under the Mars name.