Mars to launch natural M&M's without blue and brown amid MAHA push

Prominent chocolate brand Mars is set to launch a natural-ingredient version of M&M’s as the candy marks its 85th year this summer, but two of its best-known colours may be left out. The company has worked out how to make red, orange and yellow M&M’s without artificial dyes, but blue and brown will not be part of the new version when it debuts in August.

MAHA movement

The move comes as pressure grows from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement to remove synthetic food colourings. Mars is spending millions of dollars on the effort and will initially sell the naturally coloured M&M’s exclusively on Amazon, while the traditional artificially coloured version will remain on sale for now.

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Major challenge

A major challenge has been replacing the bright blue shell that has been part of the M&M’s range since 1995. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Mars chose spirulina as the best natural substitute for the artificial dye Blue, but the algae-based ingredient needs about seven times as much pigment to achieve the familiar blue shade and produces a thick, foamy mixture that leaves a plaque-like coating.

That residue is said to build up in pipes and can eventually lead to mould, creating a food-safety risk. Claire Hewitt, the Mars executive leading the multi-million-dollar project and describing herself as the company’s “chief colour officer”, told the WSJ, “It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do in my career.”

The blue-colour problem has become so difficult that brown has also been dropped from the natural version because it depends heavily on blue colouring to achieve its appearance.

Other options

Mars tested other options, including purple and pink candies, but executives decided neither looked right. The company also considered releasing a three-colour mix before settling on a four-colour line-up. More than 100 employees across Mars facilities have worked on the project as the company tries to solve the colouring issue.

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The effort also requires an expensive overhaul of production. Hewitt told the WSJ that Mars must upgrade more than 300 machines across its M&M’s plants to handle spirulina, including the installation of new mixing tanks, paddles and motors. Cleaning the new equipment will also require hotter water, more force and more time.

The changes come as the MAHA movement presses food manufacturers to phase out synthetic dyes, which Kennedy has linked to a range of health concerns, especially in children. Food companies have largely maintained that the additives are safe and approved by regulators, but increasing pressure and restrictions have pushed many brands to explore natural alternatives.