M&M's Are Going Dye-Free, But Blue & Brown Are Out

Why blue and brown had to go

While Mars was able to reliably recreate red and yellow with natural ingredients like turmeric and beets, the natural dyes needed to produce blue and brown proved much more difficult to pin down. Brown, it turns out, relies heavily on blue coloring to achieve its look, which is why it's also on the chopping block. 

The natural alternative for blue is spirulina, a concentrated blue-green algae powder. The algae-based ingredient requires roughly seven times as much pigment to achieve the signature M&M blue hue and creates a thick, foamy mixture that leaves a buildup in pipes, which can eventually lead to mold and poses a food-safety hazard. Spirulina can cost anywhere from $20 per pound in its raw form to $100 per pound in its concentrated form, compared to roughly $10 per pound for turmeric, making blue and brown candies cost-prohibitive at scale.

"It was a daunting situation," said Anton Vincent, president of Mars Snacking, North America and Global Ice Cream. "You're messing with an 85-year-old icon." Mars executive Claire Hewitt put it even more bluntly: "It's the hardest thing I've had to do in my career." 

Mars explored replacing blue and brown with purple and pink, or shifting to a three-color mix, but ultimately decided against those options. Red, yellow, orange, and green will make up the initial dye-free lineup, with the full six-color blend targeted for a return by 2028. Mars has already begun upgrading more than 300 machines across its manufacturing plants to accommodate the new production requirements. 

A reversal years in the making

This isn't Mars's first attempt at going dye-free. Mars actually made a similar commitment back in 2016, pledging to remove artificial dyes from their entire lineup within five years. That pledge was later walked back after the company said their research showed many consumers didn't consider artificial colors a concern. The company's renewed commitment reflects a very different regulatory and cultural moment.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in April 2025 the agency would take steps to eliminate synthetic dyes by the end of 2026, largely by relying on voluntary efforts from the food industry. The FDA banned Red No. 3 in early 2025, with full removal from foods required by 2027, and has also encouraged the industry to phase out Red No. 40. In May 2025, the FDA approved three new color additives from natural sources, giving manufacturers more natural alternatives to work with.

Kennedy's HHS added Mars to a list of 27 corporations that have pledged to remove artificial food dyes from certain products as part of his office's broader effort to eliminate petroleum-based food dyes from the U.S. food supply.

Wider industry shift to natural coloring

Mars is far from alone in making this change. Large food manufacturers including PepsiCo, ConAgra, The Hershey Company, McCormick & Co., J.M. Smucker, Nestlé USA, Kraft Heinz, and General Mills have all announced similar plans in recent months.

As for the health concerns driving all of this, the science is still mixed. Some studies have shown certain synthetic food dyes, such as Red No. 3 and Red No. 40, are carcinogenic in animals, though the FDA has maintained that in the case of Red No. 3, the link does not occur in humans.

Limited studies have also suggested a potential link between dyes like Red No. 40 and hyperactivity, including ADHD. The FDA has maintained that most children experience no adverse effects from consuming approved food dyes.

M&M's fans looking to try the reformulated version will be able to find them on Amazon this August, albeit in a slightly smaller color palette than they're used to. If Mars stays on track, the full lineup could be restored with natural dyes by 2028.

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