The Mystery of the Missing Black M&M: A Candy-Coated Investigation
M&M’s. Just the name conjures up memories, doesn’t it? Those little, colorful candies have been a sweet staple for, well, forever! From their humble beginnings during World War II, they’ve morphed and evolved, always keeping things interesting. But there’s one question that always seems to bubble up: Is there a black M&M? Let’s crack open this candy conundrum, shall we?
A Rainbow Reimagined: The M&M Color Story
Back in 1941, when M&M’s first hit the scene, you had five choices: red, yellow, violet, green, and brown. The whole idea? Forrest Mars Sr. saw soldiers in the Spanish Civil War munching on chocolate covered in a hard shell – genius! No more melty messes. That’s how the famous “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand” tagline was born.
The color lineup? It’s been a wild ride. Violet got the boot in favor of tan way back in the late 40s. Then, in 1950, they stamped a black “M” on each candy, which later switched to white in ’54. A real shakeup happened in ’76 when red M&M’s vanished! People were worried about a dye called amaranth (FD&C Red #2) being a carcinogen. Ironically, M&M’s didn’t even use that specific dye! Orange stepped in to fill the void. Red made a triumphant return in 1987, and in 1995, blue won a fan vote, replacing tan. Talk about a color revolution!
So, Where’s the Black Sheep (or M&M)?
Okay, so black isn’t a regular on the M&M’s roster. But hold on! It has popped up in a few interesting situations:
- The Original Mark: Remember that black “M” from 1950? That was to set the real M&M’s apart from the copycats. It didn’t last long, though; they switched to white four years later.
- DIY M&M’s: Ever played around with the “My M&M’s” thing online? You can go wild and create your own custom candies with personalized colors, messages, even your face! And guess what? Black is on the color palette!
- Limited-Edition Shenanigans: M&M’s loves a good limited-edition release, especially around holidays. Think Halloween: you’ll often see those bags bursting with orange and black M&M’s. Spooky and sweet!
- Monochrome Moment: I remember one time, M&M’s went all black-and-white to promote some black and white movie tribute. It was a cool, temporary change from their usual vibrant selves.
The Color Breakdown Today
Nowadays, if you grab a bag of Milk Chocolate M&M’s, you’ll find blue, brown, green, orange, red, and yellow. The exact mix? It can vary. Mars even used to publish the percentages on their website. Back in 2008, it was something like 24% blue, 20% orange, 16% green, 14% yellow, 13% red, and 13% brown. But hey, those numbers can shift depending on the factory.
The Final Verdict
So, can you find a black M&M? Not in your everyday bag. But they’re out there! You can create your own through customization, and they sometimes sneak into limited-edition blends. So, while it’s not a permanent member of the M&M’s crew, the black M&M isn’t just a myth. Keep your eyes peeled for those special editions, or just design your own. Happy hunting!