One of the highly popular candies manufacturer Mars is set to launch artificial dye-free M&M’s in August as part of efforts to align with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative supported by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
While the company has successfully replicated tantalising colours such as red and yellow using natural ingredients like beetroot and turmeric, blue and brown shades have proven far more difficult and expensive to reproduce.
Mars has come with a new experiment with spirulina extract, a blue-green algae-based coloring, but the ingredient is more expensive in contrast to the traditional alternatives and has caused manufacturing challenges, including clogged spray nozzles and equipment buildup.
Several reports suggested the M&M’s had heavily invested in searching for suitable replacements before the 85th brand anniversary.
Mars also considered launching a limited mix containing only red, orange, and yellow candies but ultimately rejected the idea.
Mars executive Anton Vincent described the transition as a “daunting situation,” noting the challenge of altering an iconic product.
In 2016, the company first announced plans to remove artificial dyes but later on they dropped the idea, citing limited consumer interest.
However, growing regulatory and political pressure has revived the initiative. In 2025, the company pledged to expand its use of natural dyes.
The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretar, Kennedy Jr., has always spoken up about the artificial food colorings, arguing that studies associate certain dyes to behavioral issues and cancer risks.
His department has secured commitments from 27 companies to minimise artificial dyes and has already banned several petroleum-based food additives, including Red Dye No. 3, Citrus Red No. 2, and Orange B.
