3 Musketeers is a candy bar made in the United States and Canada by Mars,
Incorporated. It is a chocolate-covered fluffy whipped chocolate bar. The 3
Musketeers Bar was the third brand produced and manufactured by M&M/Mars,
introduced in 1932. Originally, it had three pieces in one package, flavored
chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, hence the name. Rising costs and wartime
restrictions on sugar saw the phasing out of the vanilla and strawberry pieces
to leave only the more popular chocolate. Costing five cents when it
was introduced, it was marketed as one of the largest chocolate bars available,
one that could be shared by friends. To mark the 75th anniversary of the
introduction of the candy bar, Mars introduced 3 Musketeers Mint, the first
brand extension, in August 2007. Also in 2007, Mars produced a limited-edition
"Autumn Minis Mix" 3 Musketeers. It featured French Vanilla, Mocha
Cappuccino and Strawberry. This was followed by Cherry 3 Musketeers for
2008, and Raspberry 3 Musketeers and Orange 3 Musketeers for Easter 2008.
Orange was coated in milk chocolate, while the cherry and raspberry were
coated with dark chocolate. Flavor list
Original 3 bar-Chocolate, 1932–1945 Chocolate with filling, 1945–present
Mint, 2007–present "Autumn Minis" - Cappuccino, French
Vanilla and Strawberry, 2007 Cherry, 2008
Raspberry, 2008 Orange, 2008
Chocolate Strawberry Brownie, 2008 Chocolate Brownie Bar
S'Mores Brownie Bar Truffle Crisp
Marshmallow, limited edition Minis, Easter 2011 and 2012
Coconut, 2011 Hot Chocolate with marshmallow,
Christmas 2012 Manufacturing
The candy is made of a whipped nougat filling covered with milk chocolate. The
nougat chocolate center is first formed into very large slabs, which are cut to
size, and after the centers are formed they are coated with milk chocolate
through a process called "enrobing" wherein the centers pass through a
continuous flowing vertical "sheet" of chocolate while, at the same time, a
rotating, chocolate-covered wheel beneath the mesh belt coats the base of
the bar. The bar is then cooled and prepared for wrapping. The candy is made
in Chicago, Illinois; Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania; and Newmarket, Ontario.
The nougat chocolate center is made by whipping egg whites until they are light
and frothy. Sugar syrup is then added, stabilizing the foam and creating
"frappé." Other flavoring ingredients are then added to the frappé to create
specific flavors. Marketing
3 Musketeers was advertised on television on the 1950s-era Howdy Doody
show, along with a song that Buffalo Bob Smith encouraged children to sing.
In the mid-late 1990s, the bar's advertisements also featured three men
dressed as the legendary Three Musketeers to market the "45% less fat"
campaign. The product's original slogan of "Big on Chocolate!" was expanded in
these advertisements to "Big on Chocolate, Not on Fat!"
Most recently, the 3 Musketeers bar has been advertised in television spots
which featured women. The candy bar is promoted as a "Nice, Light Snack" which
features "45% less fat" than other chocolate bars.
Packaging Today, 3 Musketeers comes in seven
package varieties: Standard bar, 2 To Go, Minis, Fun Size, Mint, Mint Minis,
100 Calorie bar. International
In Europe, the 3 Musketeers brand name was used for the French version of the
Curly Wurly candy bar in the 1970s and 1980s.
See also Milky Way, the British equivalent.
List of chocolate bar brands References
External links Official website