The Original Mars Bar Is Back

The Mars Bar still has a following around the world, but here in the U.S. we've been relegated to eating Twix and Snickers as the milk-chocolate bar was stripped from store shelves in 2002. (And even that bar wasn't the same sweet treat you could purchase across the pond; the American recipe was slightly different than the international sensation.) But now, Ethel M Chocolates, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., is bringing the OG Mars Bar to the U.S., so we Americans can finally enjoy the chocolate from the comfort of our homes (or at least domestic airports).

The "new" old Mars Bar that's now available for purchase online and at Ethel M Chocolates' stores in Nevada (including those at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas), is the original, made with milk chocolate, creamy nougat, and whole toasted almonds. While it bears the name of its creator, the first chocolate bar to come from Mars, Inc. was actually named the Mar-O-Bar by Frank Mars, and later renamed the Milky Way. Without that particular candy bar, we may not have ever had the Mars Bar—or M&M's, Snickers, Skittles, Starburst, and more.

The Mars Bar was created in 1932 by Forrest Mars, the son of Frank Mars, in Slough, U.K. The original packaging featured a black wrapper with red gold-edged lettering. The packaging for the new (original) Mars Bar is slightly modernized, with a gold and white wrapper, complete with a picture of the chocolate you'll find inside.

"The Mars Bar is a favorite among chocolate lovers everywhere," Oren Young, general manager of Ethel M Chocolates, said in a written statement. "That's why we wanted to bring back this nostalgic treat in its original form, by using the unique, hand-crafted touch that only Ethel M can offer." If you're not near any Ethel M Chocolates shops, the bars are available at Cracker Barrel locations and online at EthelM.com and Amazon.