Legendary US Confectionery M&M's to Launch Version Without Artificial Colours

The legendary confectionery producer, Mars, is preparing to make history in its 85-year journey. This coming August, M&M’s will launch a new version made entirely without artificial colours. However, there will be a noticeable change to its iconic appearance: blue and brown colours will be absent from the packaging.

This move by Mars comes under the pressure of the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ (MAHA) campaign, championed by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The campaign urges major food companies to eliminate the use of synthetic dyes, which are considered to have adverse health effects, particularly on children.

Replacing artificial dyes with natural ingredients has proven much more difficult and expensive than anticipated. Mars researchers have successfully replicated red, orange, and yellow colours using ingredients such as beetroot and turmeric. However, blue has presented the greatest challenge.

Mars has chosen spirulina—a seaweed often referred to as a superfood—as a replacement for the synthetic blue dye (Blue 1). Unfortunately, the use of spirulina has caused serious technical issues in the factory: because the brown colour in M&M’s also requires a blue pigment mixture during the manufacturing process, Mars has been forced to temporarily omit both colours from this natural product line.

Anton Vincent, head of Mars North American snack business, stated that the company chose to proceed with the launch despite not having all six colours available. “It is a terrifying situation. You are tinkering with an 85-year-old icon,” he remarked.

Although blue and brown are missing, Mars has managed to retain the green colour, which also utilises spirulina but in a lower dosage. In taste tests, consumers reportedly found no difference between the natural version and the original.

In the initial phase, these dye-free M&M’s will be available exclusively through Amazon. Mars aims to have all six rainbow colours of the natural version fully available by 2028. Until then, the original version containing artificial dyes will continue to be sold on the market alongside the new range.