Candy-coating drums at a manufacturing plant.
Mars, the maker of M&M’s, is set to launch artificial dye-free candies in August. This move aligns with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, which has pressured companies to phase out artificial ingredients.
While Mars has successfully substituted natural sources like beets and turmeric for colors such as red and yellow, replicating blue has proven challenging and costly. The company has been using spirulina extract for blue and brown, but the high price of this concentrated algae powder, sometimes exceeding $100 per pound, presents a significant expense. In contrast, bulk turmeric powder costs around $9-$11 per pound.
The use of spirulina has also led to manufacturing issues, including clogging spray nozzles and creating film build-ups in equipment, posing potential safety and health hazards. These cost and operational challenges have created a dilemma for Mars as they aim to launch the altered product ahead of the brand’s 85th anniversary in August.
The company considered releasing a three-color mix (red, orange, and yellow) but decided against it, feeling the color palette was too limited. Anton Vincent, head of Mars’ North American snacks division, described the transition as a
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