A momentous 115th anniversary milestone is being marked by Mars Snacking in raising the bar of its core colouring standards for major Skittles, Starburst, M&M’s and Extra ranges, reports Neill Barston.

The company confirmed that its latest offerings for the US withouth Food, Drug and Cosmetic colours is to be unveiled on Amazon, as part of wider reformulation work by the business.

Significantly, the company’s move comes in the wake of US government’s MAHA (make America healthy again) movement led by Robert Kennedy, which has spearheaded moves to eliminate artificial colours within food ranges.

As the regional National Confectioners Association has asserted, its manufacturing members across the industry have worked hard to comply with production standards across the sector in seeking to be fully compliant with Food and Drug Administration standards.

But amid growing concerns over clean label production and consumers calls for healthier, natural options, manufacturers such as Mars have moved to offer alternatives to existing lines.

Anton Vincent, President, Mars Snacking North America, welcomed the move by the company. He said: ““For 115 years, Mars has been proud to bring our consumers the products they love, while never compromising on quality,” said . “As we look ahead, Mars will continue to deliver against this standard, offering more choices to meet evolving needs and preferences.”

As the company added, introducing these new options reflects the long-term, innovation-led approach Mars has taken behind the scenes. Dedicated teams of Mars Associates have invested more than a decade researching, testing and investing in new formulations and manufacturing advancements, to ensure consumers can continue to enjoy the same iconic colours, quality, taste and experience they’ve loved for generations.

Among the new series will be Skittles Original, in its core five classic fruit flavors – strawberry, orange, lemon, grape and lime, While Starburst chew offerings include four original variants including  strawberry, cherry, orange and lemon. The new lines also include Extra Gum in spearmint flavour, and 
M&M’S Milk Chocolate in a blend of Red, Orange, Green and Yellow.

Notably, the business confirmed that the initial M&M’S product option without FD&C colors on Amazon will not include Blue and Brown. Importantly, existing varieties of M&M’S with the original color blend of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Brown will still be available.

We are working diligently to explore non-FD&C alternatives across our portfolio that meet our safety and quality standards. Our approach is guided by the Mars Five Principles and is grounded in science and the evolving needs of consumers, and we will continue to meet all regulatory requirements. Mars continues innovating, listening and evolving alongside the people and communities we serve as we explore alternatives across our portfolio.

“We know how much love people have for our brands, which have played a special part in celebrations big and small for generations,” said Jaime Boyes, Senior Vice President of R&D, Mars Snacking North America. “We’re dedicated to continuing to delight consumers by delivering the quality and experience they expect from Mars.”