Top 15 Facts About Snickers (including a race horse and Mr. Bean!)
Snickers is a hugely popular chocolate bar by Mars Inc. is known for its delicious combination of roasted peanuts, caramel, nougat, and chocolate. Here are our top 15 facts about Snickers, and some are pretty unusual! For instance, did you know there is a Snickers pie and an Iced Coffee version?
1. Snickers was introduced in 1930
Snickers was introduced in 1930 by Mars, Incorporated, and is now one of the most popular chocolate bars in the world. In a 2022 poll by Perspectus Global, it was No.7 in a list of Britain's Top 29 Chocolate Bars, published in the Liverpool Echo.
2. Snickers was named after a race horse
Yes, it's true! The chocolate bar was named after the Mars family's favourite race horse, which was named Snickers. Frank Mars and his wife Ethel were professional horse breeders, with their horse Gallahadion winning the 1940 Kentucky Derby.
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3. The Scottish deep-fry their Snickers and cover them in batter!
In Scotland, they like their Snickers deep-fried, and the batter-covered Snickers is now a speciality in one in five fish and chip shops in the country, starting in 1995. Be warned, though. A deep-fried Snickers contains around 450 calories!
4. Snickers was advertised by Mr. Bean in 2014
The British TV advert featured Rowan Atkinson's hilarious character with a group of Kung Fu fighters. The bar has featured in numerous advertising campaigns over the years, including memorable commercials during the Super Bowl in the U.S.
5. Over 15 million Snickers bars are produced every day!
With global sales of around $3.6 billion, Snickers is the number one best-selling chocolate bar on the planet, with around 15 million produced on a daily basis across the globe.
6. Today's Snickers bar is 14.5 grams lighter than in 2009.
As with many chocolate bars in the UK today, the standard size Snickers has shrunk in size and is lighter than it used to be. Before 2009, a single bar weighed 62.5 g (2.20 oz). It reduced to 58 g (2.0 oz) in 2009, and then 48 g (1.7 oz) in 2013. Snickers comes in various sizes, including the regular-sized bar, miniatures, and king-sized bars, to cater to different preferences.
7. Snickers was originally called Marathon in the UK
In some countries, Snickers has been marketed under different names. For example, it was once known as Marathon in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Read our post When did Marathon become Snickers?
8. A Snickers Pie recipe was created in 2006
British chef Anthony Worrall-Thompson created a Snickers pie recipe in 2006 for the BBC TV show Saturday Kitchen. Containing five of the chocolate bars, it sounds totally delicious to me, although a single serving contains over 1,250 calories, 22 teaspoons of fat and 11 teaspoons of sugar! However, the chef stated that it was "not intended for regular consumption" - you don't say! Unfortunately, the BBC have since removed the controversial recipe.
Mars Bar Adverts Through The Years
9. Snickers bars were once sold for 5 cents each in the U.S.
When they were first introduced in 1930, the price for each bar was just 5 cents. While that might sound like a bargain, the price would be almost $1 dollar in today's money, which means they were actually very expensive back then.
10. There's a Snickers Iced Coffee
Coffee specialist Victor Allen produces Snickers Iced Coffee. Containing a tasty combination of premium coffee and the flavour of Snickers, it can be bought from the Amazon UK and U.S. sites.
11. There's a Snickers Ice Cream
Snickers also produces ice cream bars and frozen desserts that incorporate the signature Snickers flavour. Snicker Ice Cream Bars can be bought singularly (weighing 2.8 ounces) and in boxes of 5, 6 and 12 (the bars weigh 2 oz in these versions). Snickers ice cream pint can also be bought in a 16oz tub.
12. There's a green Snickers!
There have been many limited-edition and seasonal Snickers flavours, such as Snickers White and Snickers Dark. In the run-up to Halloween in the U.S., a Snickers Pumpkin or Jack O' Lantern version is often released. In the UK, a Ghoulish Green Snickers (fun size and standard size) and Twix was released in 2022.
13. Snickers Creamy Peanut Butter launched in 2021
Although there have been limited edition versions of the Peanut Butter Snickers, a Creamy Peanut Butter Snickers has been available to buy in the UK since 2021.
14. Snickers is often used in baking
The Snickers bar is widely used in baking and dessert recipes, adding its distinctive flavour to cookies, brownies, cakes, cheesecake and even salad! There are even recipes available online for homemade Snickers Bars. Here are 23 recipes using Snickers you need to try
15. Snickers is marketed with the slogan "You're not you when you're hungry,"
The slogan emphasises the chocolate bar's ability to satisfy hunger. In 1980, a British TV advert came with the tag line "Packed with peanuts, Snickers really satisfies".
Whether you enjoy a classic Snickers or one of its many variations, such as Snickers Crisp, it's a beloved chocolate bar known for its satisfying combination of flavours and textures. I hope you have enjoyed reading my Top 15 facts about Snickers.