Mars plans to introduce artificial dye-free M&M’s in August, but two familiar colors will be absent from the initial lineup as the company works to recreate certain shades using natural ingredients.
The launch coincides with the Make America Healthy Again initiative championed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has encouraged food manufacturers to eliminate petroleum-based dyes from products. Mars is among 27 companies identified by HHS as pledging to remove artificial food dyes from some of their products.
Blue and Brown Coloring Presents Major Challenge
Mars has successfully recreated red and yellow colors using natural ingredients such as beets and turmeric. However, reproducing blue and brown has proven significantly more difficult and expensive.
The company has turned to spirulina extract, a concentrated blue-green algae powder, to create blue and brown coloring. While effective, spirulina presents both cost and manufacturing challenges.
Turmeric typically sells for $9 to $11 per pound through wholesalers, while raw spirulina can cost up to $20 per pound. The concentrated spirulina extract commonly used in food coloring often exceeds $100 per pound.
Manufacturing Issues Complicate Production
According to The Wall Street Journal, spirulina’s thick consistency has created production headaches inside M&M’s manufacturing facilities.
The ingredient reportedly has clogged spray nozzles and caused film buildup on factory equipment, raising operational and safety concerns.
Mars considered launching a limited lineup featuring only red, orange, and yellow candies, but executives ultimately decided against the idea because the color combination created what they described as overly strong “sunset vibes.”
Reviving An Earlier Effort
The company timed the dye-free launch to coincide with M&M’s 85th anniversary celebration in August and has invested millions of dollars searching for suitable alternatives.
Anton Vincent, head of Mars’ North American snacks division, described the effort as challenging.
“It was a daunting situation,” Vincent told The Wall Street Journal. “You’re messing with an 85-year-old icon.”
Mars previously announced plans in 2016 to move away from artificial dyes but later abandoned the initiative, citing limited consumer demand. The company revived the effort in 2025 amid renewed pressure from Kennedy and federal health officials.
Federal Push To Remove Artificial Dyes
Kennedy has repeatedly linked artificial food dyes to potential health risks.
Speaking alongside West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey in 2025, Kennedy said, “When we look at these nine specific food dyes, the science shows a clear, undeniable link to behavioral disruptions in our kids and long-term cancer risks. We are systematically clearing them out,” Fox 4 KDFW reported.
West Virginia became the first state to enact a statewide ban on the sale of major artificial dyes in 2025.
At the federal level, HHS has revoked Food and Drug Administration authorization for four petroleum-based additives: brominated vegetable oil, Red Dye No. 3, Citrus Red No. 2, and Orange B. Kennedy has also urged food manufacturers to phase out Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3.
FDA Actions And Health Concerns
The FDA cited the Delaney Clause when it banned Red Dye No. 3 in 2025. The provision requires the agency to prohibit substances shown to cause cancer in humans or animals.
Federal regulators said long-term animal studies linked Red Dye No. 3 to cancer in rats, prompting its removal from the list of approved food additives.
