Mars Bar and Milky Way come out of the same factories and the same company, yet one is a dense, chewy slab and the other is built to feel almost weightless in comparison.
One company, two completely different bars
Both bars are made by Mars Inc, the company Forrest Mars Sr. built after launching the original Mars Bar in Slough in 1932. Milky Way followed in the UK a few years later, in 1935, but it was not designed as a smaller Mars Bar, it was built from a different recipe entirely, aimed at people who wanted something lighter than a full chocolate bar.
Why the fillings feel so different
- Mars Bar — a dense caramel layer sits on top of firm nougat, the two bound together and coated in milk chocolate. It is chewy and rich, and the caramel is the dominant flavour.
- Milky Way (UK) — whipped, aerated nougat with no caramel layer at all, coated in a thinner shell of milk chocolate. The whipping process traps air in the nougat, which is what gives it that noticeably softer, fluffier bite.
That difference in density is deliberate. Milky Way's original UK tagline was built around being the sweet you can eat between meals without ruining your appetite, a lighter snack positioned against the heavier, more indulgent Mars Bar.
The transatlantic naming mix-up
Here is the part that catches people out: in the United States, the Milky Way bar does contain a caramel layer, making the American version much closer to a UK Mars Bar. The UK Milky Way, with its caramel-free whipped nougat, is actually closer to what is sold in the US as a 3 Musketeers bar. Same two names, swapped recipes, depending entirely on which country you buy them in.
Which one to reach for
If you want something chewy and caramel-forward, Mars Bar is the one to pick. If you would rather have a lighter, fluffier bite with a milder chocolate hit, Milky Way is the better call. Both are worth keeping in a multipack if you cannot decide.
Frequently asked questions
Are Mars Bar and Milky Way made by the same company?
Yes. Both are made by Mars Inc, sitting alongside Twix, Bounty and Snickers in the same stable, but they are built to completely different briefs.
What is the difference between a Mars Bar and a Milky Way?
A Mars Bar has a dense caramel and nougat centre under milk chocolate. The UK Milky Way is lighter and fluffier, built on softly whipped nougat with a thin chocolate coating, and has no caramel layer at all.
Why is the UK Milky Way different from the US Milky Way?
The US Milky Way bar actually contains caramel, making it closer to a UK Mars Bar. The UK Milky Way has no caramel, making it closer to what Americans call a 3 Musketeers bar. Same brand name, different recipe depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on.