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By Marni Rose McFall
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M&Ms are getting a MAHA makeover. But two flavors will be left behind.
The candy is set to debut without artificial dyes for the first time, as part of a move from the manufacturer, the Mars company, to align with the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
The new M&Ms will be naturally dyed and rolled out on Amazon in August, a first in the company’s nearly nine-decade history, Mars confirmed to The Wall Street Journal.
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But two M&Ms will be left behind for now. The brown and blue M&Ms will be left out of the packs, as the company was reportedly unable to find ways to replicate the colorings naturally.
Why It Matters
Since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was appointed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, concerns about processed foods and chemicals in food have centered the public health debate. This marks the latest candy change to come into play.
Previous examples include a 2025 change at Skittles, also made by Mars, where they phased out titanium dioxide from their manufacturing process. That color additive had previously been banned by the European Union in 2022, over possible health risks.
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How M&Ms Are Changing
The key change for the M&M candies is that they will now be naturally dyed, with that rollout to come this summer.
Amazon is set to be the first to carry the new assortment of FD&C-free M&Ms.
Existing varieties of M&Ms are expected to still be available in store and online.
The launch comes as Kennedy and other Republican officials intensify pressure on food manufacturers to eliminate artificial colors from products sold in the United States.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has also entered the debate, launching an investigation into Mars over allegations that the company misled consumers. The investigation centers on a 2016 commitment by Mars to remove artificial colors from its products while simultaneously maintaining that approved food dyes did not pose health risks.
In announcing the investigation, Paxton said claims that the dyes were harmless "could not be further from the truth," arguing that artificial food colorings have been linked to a range of adverse health outcomes.
Why Food Coloring Has Caused Concern
Artificial food coloring has emerged as one of the signature issues of the MAHA movement.
There are concerns that these colorings could have health impacts, especially for children, and fit into a broader picture of concern about chemicals and additives in the U.S. food supply.
In 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced measures to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the food supply.
In a press release confirming that announcement, Kennedy said, “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development**.** That era is coming to an end. We’re restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public’s trust. And we’re doing it by working with industry to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day.”
Supporters of restrictions also note that some artificial colorings have faced tighter regulation abroad, particularly in Europe, where manufacturers often use alternative ingredients or carry warning labels.
The issue has gained momentum far beyond Washington. States including West Virginia have moved to restrict or ban certain food dyes, while lawmakers across the country have introduced bills targeting artificial additives in food products.
And it's not just Mars making changes. The food and beverage company Nestlé announced on Thursday that it has fully removed synthetic dyes from all its U.S. products, a move applauded by Kennedy.
As the coloring crackdown continues, the world of candy as we know it could be set to change significantly.
Update 6/23/26, 5:17 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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