The Magic Kingdom Confectionery Could Look TOTALLY Different Soon

You know that iconic smell when you’re walking down Main Street U.S.A.? That’s the Main Street Confectionery, and it’s the perfect spot to stop by for a sweet treat at Magic Kingdom. We’re big fans of the confectionery here at the Disney Food Blog!

Main Street Confectionery

It’s not just the smell we love about the confectionery, it’s also the look and aesthetic inside. That’s why we’re a little nervous about recent news that suggests the Main Street Confectionery could look completely different in the future. Let’s take a look!

Millions of dollars are being spent to re-create M&M’s with no artificial colors, according to the Wall Street Journal. This “MAHA makeover” is so expensive because “blue’s natural algae substitute is complex and costly.”

©Wall Street Journal

M&M’s are about to enter a huge phase in their 85-year history, debuting a version made without artificial dyes. The new bags of chocolate will be missing two hallmarks, the colors brown and blue. “Under pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his ‘Make America Healthy Again’ campaign, M&M’s maker Mars pledged to offer options for some of its iconic products without those dyes this year. The chocolate giant planned instead to color the foods with dyes derived from natural sources,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

M&M’s

It’s going to be an interesting adjustment, as blue and brown are among a half-dozen classic M&M’s colors. Mars researchers figured out how to deliver convincing versions of red, orange, and yellow candies using natural ingredients like beets and turmeric. Our first thought is that the rainbow candy wall in the Confectionery might look very different soon.

Main Street Confectionery M&M Wall

Algae is the high-protein ingredient often touted as a superfood that’s used as a blue substitute, but it’s been “gumming up the U.S. factories that produce 600 million M&M’s each day.” It’s just a very expensive substitute!

M&M Store

It’s been an effort for the company to figure out what they’re going to do with colors moving forward. According to the Wall Street Journal, “they mulled launching a three-color mix, with red, orange, and yellow M&M’s, but the sunset vibes were too strong.” They preferred four colors, but couldn’t decide what to add. “Purple, it found, also required too much spirulina. Pink didn’t look right—no ‘pop’ of color,” Mars said.

M&M treat!

“Mars could have delayed the rollout until it was able to replicate M&M’s full rainbow, but executives wanted to press ahead,” said Anton Vincent, who leads the company’s North American snacks business. “Executives brought their plan to Mars’s board, where directors, including members of the Mars family—the private, billionaire clan that owns the company—queried them about discussions with consumers and retailers. The brand generates billions of dollars in annual sales, after all.”

We love M&M’s!

The article does confirm that the naturally colored M&M’s will only be sold on Amazon for the time being, and those with artificial dyes aren’t going anywhere for now. That means the Confectionery won’t change anytime soon, but don’t count it out entirely. For more Disney news and updates, make sure to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog!

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