Why Marathon Bars Were Discontinued After An 8-Year Run

We all have a favorite candy from our childhood that may or may not be available anymore. Besides Tiny Size chiclets and Jujubes, for chocolate lovers, Mars Marathon bars may be the most popular candy that debuted the year you were born. The Mars company is known for debuting countless favorites over the years, such as Twix, Snickers, and the wide range of variety of colorful M&M's candies. Despite the current assortment available at your nearest supermarket, for those born in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mars Marathon bars might have been a longtime favorite, never to be seen again past the early 1980s.

While this candy bar was longer than most in physical length, Marathon bars didn't last long in the retail marketplace. Composed of only chocolate and caramel, Mars Marathon bars debuted in 1973 and were pulled from store shelves in 1981. Certain nostalgic foodies continue to reminisce over the stylized red, orange, and yellow packaging but aren't able to score any more of these elusive candy bars. 

Before we reveal the next best thing to a Mars Marathon bar, let's take a deeper look into what gave this candy its signature name and why the Mars company eventually pulled the plug on this one-of-a-kind chocolate bar.

While there may be certain chocolate candy bars worth traveling for, unless you can travel back in time, you'll have to leave your hopes of biting into a caramel-filled Marathon bar in the past. 

Mars Marathon bars were unique in more ways than one. Not only were they longer than most candy bars, measuring 8 inches long, but the brightly colored packaging displayed standard hash marks to prove it. If you were a kid who enjoyed eating Marathon bars, you may remember the cowboy-centric commercials. In one 1975 advertisement, the brand's trustworthy spokesperson "Marathon John" offers a fast-moving man a Marathon bar to prove the confection can't be eaten in just a few minutes, which confirms the candy's tagline: "lasts a good long time." The chocolate caramel-braid had a unique consistency that may have been part of its eventual demise.

Marathon bars only lasted on store shelves until 1981. Even though no one knows the real reason Mars pulled this candy variety from its long lineup of confections, some speculate what made eating this bar a real-life marathon is part of the reason it was eventually discontinued. Maybe some were turned off by the braided chocolate or the extra-chewy caramel?

For those who wish Marathon bars were still around, there's still some hope in a similar product, thanks to one famous European candy company. If you feel a bit glum about the permanent loss of Marathon bars, you could put in the extra effort and make salted caramel dark chocolate cookies — or you could a European company for a copycat candy bar that some foodies claim tastes just as delicious as the Mars variety. Cadbury has been a sweet treat institution in England since the mid to late 1800s. Next to Caramello bars and cream-filled eggs, in 1970, Cadbury released a candy bar that's strikingly similar to Marathon bars. 

The Curly Wurly bar is 8 inches of thinly braided milk chocolate and caramel. Unlike Marathon bars, Cadbury's Curly Wurly bars are quite popular overseas and are still widely available. Some sweet treat lovers who remember Marathon bars claim the Curly Wurly bar is easier to eat, meaning the candy bar's general makeup is a tad lighter, and the caramel is more chewable. (For some, this can be a good thing, but others loved Marathon bars for their long-lasting caramel.)

If you want to give this European alternative a try, they're available to order online through major retailers, including Amazon, as well as select World Market locations. While this British candy bar may be delicious in its own right, for some, nothing can replace the memory of enjoying a classic Mars Marathon bar.