M&M’s New Packaging Is Here for Women Empowerment

New year, new candy wrapper—M&M’s are starting off 2023 with yet another aesthetic change. After giving the spokescandies new shoes and debuting a Purple M&M’s character, the candy company is using its latest package design to promote and support women.

What Does M&M’s New Packaging Look Like?

M&M’s new packaging looks pretty similar to the standard wrapper, but instead of any male characters, it features Green, Brown and Purple, the first new character in a decade. The characters are printed upside-down to “celebrate women everywhere who are flipping the status quo.” More importantly, though, Mars is putting its money where its mouth is and is donating one dollar for every pack sold to organizations including She Is The Music and We Are Moving The Needle, nonprofits that support women in music. The Purple M&M is a singer with a quirky and confident personality with lace-up boots, so the donations reflect the newest character. You can also find Purple on the packaging for the upcoming Caramel Cold Brew flavor.

As with other design changes, M&M’s new wrapper has made quite a few people upset. In January 2022, for example, the characters got new shoes: Green traded in her go-go boots for sneakers and Brown debuted a lower, more sensible heel. At the end of the day, though, the candy has been around for 80-plus years, and these character and packaging redesigns are just more interesting facts about M&M’s.

Where Can I Get It?

M&M’s new packaging is already in stores and comes in three varieties: original, peanut butter and peanut. However, this design is only around for a limited time, so grab a pack of candy before it’s gone. Don’t forget it’s what’s on the inside that counts: delicious chocolate candy.

Wondering what to do with all your candy? Give your baked goods the M&M’s treatment with our favorite M&M cookie recipes or just throw together this M&M’s snack mix.

M&M Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

This recipe combines several favorite flavors—peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate—in one big cookie. Before baking, I like to press a few extra M&M’s on top for added color. —Patricia Schroedl, Jefferson, Wisconsin

I have been seeing “surprise inside cookies” for a few years and really wanted to come up with my own version. After a little brainstorming, I came up with the idea of making Santa’s belly cookies and filling them with miniature cookies. These are so much fun to give as gifts—just wrap in colored cellophane and tie with a festive ribbon. You can exchange the mini cookies for candy or anything you’d like; if desired, you can color the cookie dough red, too. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

These cheery and cute cookies will delight kids of all ages! I like to make fun foods but don’t care to spend a whole lot of time fussing. So the idea of using candy for the bears’ features was right up my alley. —Susan Schuller, Brainerd, Minnesota

Macaroons studded with M&M’s are easy to mix up in a hurry. That’s good, because believe me, they never last long. —Janice Lass, Dorr, Michigan

Who can resist gigantic monster cookies chock-full of goodies like chocolate chips, M&M’s and peanut butter? If your appetite isn’t quite monster-size, make them by heaping tablespoonfuls. This is the world’s best monster cookies recipe. —Judy Fredenberg, Missoula, Montana

Making these soft, chewy cookies with a rich flavor has been a family tradition since my children were small. At Christmastime, I shape the dough into gingerbread men with tasty raisin eyes and buttons. —Sue Bartlett, Berlin, Wisconsin

Oats, peanut butter and chocolate make these soft, chewy cookies hearty and nutritious. My whole family agrees this recipe is a real winner. —Deborah Huffer, Staunton, Virginia

Fun and festive, these cookie sandwich trees will be a huge hit with kids of all ages. They’re a super-cute holiday treat! —Steve Foy, Kirkwood, Missouri

Clear your pantry to make these chocolate chip cookies loaded with goodies. We add oats, M&M’s, pretzels and even potato chips. —Brittney Musgrove, Dallas, Georgia

Cornflakes take the place of traditional rice cereal in these sweet, no-bake Christmas wreath cookies. Dressed up with green food coloring and red candies, they’re a pretty addition to cookie platters and dessert buffets. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

I love spending time in the kitchen with my nieces. This is the perfect recipe to make with the little ones. Dang cute, easy and portable! —Emily Tyra, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Coconut, M&M’s and salty, crunchy pretzels make these loaded cookies unlike any you’ve ever tasted—or resisted. —Jackie Ruckwardt, Cottage Grove, Oregon

Wrap these chocolate-topped snowmen in colored tissue and place them inside holiday containers. Like real snowmen, they disappear fast! —Betty Tabb, Mifflintown, Pennsylvania

You’ll be amazed and delighted with how quickly you can whip up a batch of these homemade cookies. —Clara Hielkema, Wyoming, Michigan