M&M’s Natural Color Makeover Highlights Real-World CMYK Challenges.

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Mars is preparing to launch a new dye-free version of M&M’s in August 2026, but two of the candy’s most recognizable colors—blue and brown—will be missing from the initial release as the company works to replace synthetic dyes with natural alternatives. The change has sparked interest within the printing and imaging industry, where color reproduction challenges are well understood. In print-oriented terms, the remaining M&M’s colors closely align with key process and spot-color concepts: Cyan (Blue) will be absent, Magenta (Red) remains, Yellow (Yellow) remains, and Green continues as a secondary color created from yellow and cyan influences, while Brown—a complex color often produced through combinations of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK)—will also be left out. Mars says technical hurdles in creating a stable natural blue pigment have delayed both the blue and brown varieties, underscoring the same color-management challenges that printers face when attempting to achieve accurate, consistent color using alternative pigments and substrates.

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June 22, 2026 at 10:25 AM