One of the most memorable parts of the classic romcom The Wedding Planner is when Steve (Matthew McConaughey) tells Mary (Jennifer Lopez) that he only eats the brown M&M’s because they “have less artificial coloring because chocolate’s already brown.” Granted, Steve, who is supposed to be a doctor, is patently wrong, given that the candy shell is made of food coloring. But it’s a sweet scene nonetheless, because it speaks to the fact that everyone seems to have one color of M&M’s that they prefer to all the rest, and if you meet someone who loves the same color, romcom rules dictate that they’re your soulmate.
But if you’ve ever opened up a packet of M&M’s, poured the candy onto the table, and taken a real, hard look at the heap, it’s clear that some colors seem to be significantly favored to others. So, if Steve only eats the brown M&M’s, how many does that really add up to?
It turns out the answer depends on the time period, as these button-shaped chocolate treats have had quite a few makeovers since their introduction in 1941. The original colors were red, yellow, violet, green, and brown, but the red had to be replaced with orange in 1976 over concerns that the red dye contained carcinogens (which they actually didn’t).
Ten years later, a college student named Paul Hethmon singlehandedly brought them back to life by creating a “Society for the Restoration and Preservation of Red M&M’s” that went viral worldwide and shepherded their return. In 1995, blue was chosen to replace tan M&M’s by popular vote, and since then, a regular pack of M&M’s has contained six colors: brown, yellow, green, red, orange, and blue.
In 1997, Mars’ website went so far as to list the distribution of colors as 30% brown, 20% yellow, 20% red, 10% orange, 10% green, and 10% blue. Then, in 2008, they changed to 24% blue, 20% orange, 16% green, 14% yellow, 13% red, 13% brown. But one day the color breakdowns vanished from the site, and it all became a mystery. Well, until Rick Wicklin—a statistician at the software company SAS—made it his mission to figure the distribution out himself in early 2017.
For weeks, he took two took two scoops of M&M’s from a large jar in his office’s break room, and began counting them up. Eventually, on the basis of 712 M&M’s, he decided the color breakdown was now 19.5% green, 18.7% orange, 18.7 percent blue, 15.1 percent red, 14.5 percent yellow, and 13.5 percent brown, which would make Steve’s beloved brown M&Ms the odd ones out.
However, there is a plot twist. When Wicklin contacted Mars to find out how accurate he was about the breakdown, he was informed that plain (ie., “non-peanut,” “non-pretzel,” etc.) M&M’s are actually made in two different factories—one in New Jersey, the other in Tennessee—each of which had slightly different color distributions.
They sent him their data, and he found that his sample was roughly aligned with that of the Tennessee factory. The color breakdown of the New Jersey factory, on the other hand, was 25% blue and 25% orange, with the other four colors divided up at an even 12.5% each. Whichever way you slice it, brown—which was once the leading color—has now been relegated to the back of the pack, and to date Mars has never offered an explanation why.
So maybe Steve was right and only eating the brown ones is healthier—if only because there are so few of them! And for more silly knowledge you can’t help but read, see these 50 Facts So Crazy You Won’t Believe They’re Actually True.
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As a connoisseur of both pop culture and statistical analysis, let me delve into the fascinating world of M&M's, debunking myths and shedding light on the intricate history and distribution of these iconic candy-coated chocolates. The article in question weaves a narrative around the preferences of characters in the romcom "The Wedding Planner" and explores the colorful universe of M&M's, providing insights into their evolution since their inception in 1941.
To begin with, the mention of Steve's preference for brown M&M's raises an interesting point. While his reasoning about artificial coloring may be flawed, it prompts a closer examination of M&M's color distribution over time. The original colors—red, yellow, violet, green, and brown—set the foundation in 1941, only to see a significant change in 1976 when red M&M's were replaced with orange due to unfounded concerns about carcinogens in the red dye. This alteration marked the beginning of a series of transformations that would impact the distribution of colors within M&M packets.
A pivotal moment came in 1995 when blue triumphed over tan M&M's through a popular vote, solidifying the six-color lineup we recognize today: brown, yellow, green, red, orange, and blue. Intriguingly, Mars' official website once disclosed the color distribution percentages, evolving from 30% brown, 20% yellow, 20% red, 10% orange, 10% green, and 10% blue in 1997 to a different breakdown in 2008. This sudden disappearance of data added an element of mystery to M&M's color distribution.
Enter Rick Wicklin, a statistician at SAS, who took it upon himself to unravel this conundrum in 2017. With dedication and precision, Wicklin meticulously counted M&M's over weeks, arriving at a new color breakdown: 19.5% green, 18.7% orange, 18.7% blue, 15.1% red, 14.5% yellow, and 13.5% brown. However, the plot thickens when he discovered that the plain M&M's were produced in two separate factories in New Jersey and Tennessee, each with slightly different color distributions.
The Tennessee factory aligned closely with Wicklin's findings, while the New Jersey factory showcased a distinct breakdown: 25% blue and 25% orange, with the remaining four colors evenly divided at 12.5% each. This revelation underscores the complexity of M&M's production and the variations that can arise even within the same product line. Notably, brown, once a dominant color, has now been relegated to a less prominent position, sparking curiosity as Mars has never clarified the reason behind this shift.
In conclusion, the world of M&M's is a colorful tapestry woven with historical changes, public votes, and statistical investigations. Steve's affinity for brown M&M's, though based on a misconception, adds a touch of whimsy to a narrative that unravels the mysteries of candy-coated chocolates. Whether you savor the statistical intricacies or enjoy the simple pleasure of biting into your favorite color, M&M's continue to captivate candy enthusiasts with their timeless appeal.
