Mars, the maker of M&M’s, said it will launch a new U.S. version of the candy in August without artificial food dyes. The move comes as the brand marks its 85th anniversary and as food companies increasingly replace synthetic ingredients with natural alternatives.
The change has a notable consequence, the blue and brown candies will be removed from the packs. Mars said those shades could not be reproduced with natural colors at a cost that would still allow large-scale commercial production.
Blue, which was added to M&M’s in 1995 after a public vote campaign, proved especially difficult to recreate. The company said the natural coloring relies heavily on spirulina, a pigment derived from algae, and that large quantities are needed to achieve the desired intensity.
That same spirulina challenge also affected the brown candies, leading Mars to eliminate them from the new formula as well. Anton Vincent, president of Mars North America snacks and the company’s global ice cream division, called it a difficult decision, saying, "You are dealing with an 85-year-old icon." The change reflects a broader shift among major food makers facing consumer and regulatory pressure to reduce artificial additives.
