Mars Struggles to Find Natural Blue Dye for M&M's Under MAHA Pressure

Executive Briefing

• Mars Inc. pledged to remove artificial dyes from products following pressure from RFK Jr.'s MAHA initiative
• Scientists successfully developed natural alternatives for red, orange, and yellow using beets and turmeric
• Blue poses the greatest challenge, with spirulina producing a noticeably lighter, inconsistent shade
• Large-scale manufacturing complications arise from requiring substantially more spirulina-based coloring
• Highlights broader difficulties food manufacturers face meeting Trump administration's synthetic dye phase-out push