M&m’s to Phase Out Artificial Colors and Two Classic Hues

WHO:

Yahoo - M&M’s is produced by Mars, Inc., with Anton Vincent serving as president of Mars Snacking, North America and Global Ice Cream.

Ultimate Classic Rock - The Wall Street Journal reported on the changes to M&M's.

WHAT:

Yahoo - M&M’s will launch a version of its candies made without artificial dyes beginning in August.

Yahoo - M&M’s plans to eliminate its blue and brown candies from the lineup.

Ultimate Classic Rock - Mars will commemorate the product's 85th anniversary with the new launch.

Ultimate Classic Rock - Mars was able to recreate red and yellow dye using natural sources like beets and turmeric.

WHERE:

Yahoo - The changes are being implemented by Mars, Inc., which is based in the United States.

WHEN:

Yahoo - The new version of M&M's is set to launch in August.

Yahoo - M&M's is marking its 85th anniversary in 2026.

WHY:

Yahoo - The decision to remove artificial dyes aligns with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.

Yahoo - Mars previously pledged in 2016 to remove artificial dyes but reversed the decision due to customer indifference.

HOW:

Yahoo - Mars explored replacing blue and brown with purple and pink or shifting to a three-color mix but ultimately decided against those options.

Ultimate Classic Rock - Blue and brown colors proved difficult and costly to replicate using natural ingredients, particularly due to the reliance on spirulina, which is expensive and caused production issues.

(UPDATED June 21, 2026 11:51 UTC)

M&M’s is set to launch a new version of its candies made without artificial dyes in August, marking the brand's 85th anniversary. As part of this change, Mars, Inc. will eliminate its blue and brown candies from the lineup, opting instead for natural sources like beets and turmeric to recreate red and yellow dye. This decision aligns with the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, following a previous pledge in 2016 to remove artificial dyes that was reversed due to customer indifference.