M&M's set August launch for dye-free candies, with 2 colors absent
Fox Business • • business
Key Points:
- Mars will launch artificial dye-free M&M's in August, following pressure from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and compliance with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
- While natural sources like beets and turmeric have replaced red and yellow dyes, replicating blue has been challenging and costly due to the expensive spirulina extract used as a substitute.
- Spirulina's viscous nature has caused manufacturing issues such as spray nozzle clogging and equipment build-up, adding to production difficulties and safety concerns.
- Mars considered limiting the candy colors to red, orange, and yellow but decided against it to preserve the brand's iconic appearance ahead of its 85th anniversary.
- The move aligns with Kennedy Jr.'s broader campaign against artificial dyes, which includes federal bans on several petroleum-based dyes and state-level prohibitions like West Virginia's recent total ban on major artificial dyes.
