The Rarest M&M Color Was Actually Ubiquitous Back In The Day

Maybe when you rip open a bag of M&M's, you just toss them in your mouth all willy-nilly, not paying much attention to what colors of the rainbow are traveling from your palm to your tongue. Or, perhaps you're more analytical and you've taken the time to observe the ratio of colors. You might notice that, among the rainbow of candy-coated chocolates, brown is now the rarest color in the bunch. But that wasn't always the case. In fact, brown M&Ms were once one of the defining colors of the pack, reigning supreme back in the early days of the candy's launch in 1941.

Originally, the color line-up was far more subdued: just brown, yellow, red, green, and violet. Of those, brown made up a large portion of the mix and was considered the most "chocolate-adjacent" of the bunch — a fitting choice for a candy that's essentially just chocolate and shell. There even used to be two browns, a light one and darker one. Over time, as M&M's marketing leaned harder into the more fun and colorful side of its brand, the company began adding bolder shades like orange and blue while quietly dialing down the number of brown pieces in each pack.

Today, SAS data indicates that brown M&Ms account for just over 13% of a standard bag, making them the rarest of all the current colors. That's quite a fall from being the most numerous color at 30% of each bag in the late 1990s. And yet, to longtime fans, brown still holds a kind of nostalgic charm. These aren't just a vintage snack no one remembers anymore. Brown M&Ms are a quiet reminder of the candy's simpler beginnings, even though the brand has since evolved to offer many different M&M flavors (which we ranked) — including some that we think are the worst M&M's you can buy.

M&Ms are rooted in history. There is a rhyme and reason to the colors, and even how they got the signature "M" printed on them. There's no official statement from Mars explaining the brown M&M's dramatic drop in appearance, but speculation among fans points to the brand's evolving image. In a lineup filled with vibrant, eye-catching colors, brown simply doesn't pop as much. Blue joined the mix in 1995 after a public vote, bringing a sense of freshness and novelty to each bag. Around that time, brown began its subtle retreat from center stage, starting with tan M&Ms being discontinued in favor of the new blue.

Interestingly, brown is still part of M&M's branding — it's the color of the bag, and even has its own spokescandy (Ms. Brown), who was introduced in 2012. But while the character embodies elegance and wit, the actual candy color barely makes an appearance in most bags. For a brand that thrives on variety, it's ironic that the most ordinary color — brown — has become the most elusive. Whether you love them for their simplicity or miss them for their familiarity, one thing's clear: Brown M&Ms might not stand out visually, but they still hold a special place in the hearts of candy lovers who remember when they were everywhere.