The candy was ordered for an upcoming promotion through M&Ms’ customized Business to Business department. The customer service representative, Christian, was very helpful and the order was placed. Then four business days later we received a call from Christian to let us know that they would not fill the order since “the word knife is not family friendly.” That certainly came as news to us. Christian apologized for the delay getting back to us, we had called twice seeking confirmation the order would arrive in time, saying he had argued hard for us, but that his bosses wouldn’t budge.
We asked for a confirmation in writing of what he had told us, but when that was not forthcoming, we sent an email to him confirming the conversation we had and asking the company to correct anything that wasn’t factually correct. Shortly thereafter, Christian’s supervisor, Kathy, called. We had a similar conversation with her, to no avail, and again asked that they confirm that they were rejecting the order for the reasons both Christian and she provided, that “knife” was not “family friendly.” Instead we received a totally disingenuous email:
“Thank you for your email and allowing us to respond to your concern.
We would like to confirm that we have received and processed your request to cancel your order. We are sorry to hear that you are cancelling your order and hope to have an opportunity to make your next event more special with personalized MY M&M’S® Chocolate Candies”.
To which we replied:
Thanks for this, but your email falsely states that this order is being cancelled at my request. Please note that I do NOT wish for the order to be cancelled — it was your company decision to cancel the order because you object to the name and mission of our civil rights organization. I have had several phone calls with representatives of your company trying to save this order. Your cancellation notice falsely stating that the order was cancelled at my request only adds insult to injury, and is outrageous.
With that email they went from simply making what we view as a poor business decision by irrationally discriminating against Knife Rights, America’s knife owners and our many Second Amendment supporters, and moved on to falsely describing the entire transaction in a outrageous attempt to avoid responsibility for their actions. Knife Rights did not cancel the order; M&M’s did.
We just thought you ought to know. For ourselves, we intend to wean ourselves from their products. Mars, Inc. is the parent company and one of the world’s leading food manufacturers, that while perhaps best known for its chocolate and candy brands (M&M’s, Milkey Way, Altoids and Life Savers to name but a few) is also in food, pet care and drink products with many brands you know, including Wrigley, Uncle Bens, Seeds of Change, Pedigree and Whiskas. You can find lists of their products at: http://www.mars.com/global/brands.aspx
Come Halloween this year our family will carve our pumpkins using several different knives, but instead of giving the children who come to our front door M&M’s, Snickers and Milky Ways, as we have for many years, they will be given a treat that will not bear the Mars, Inc. brand.
If you’d like to let them know how you feel about the word “knife” not being “family friendly,” you can contact M&M’s at: 1-908-852-1000 (only M-F 9:00-5:00) or via email using the form at: https://www.mms.com/us/contact. Or, at www.facebook.com/mms