Conagra Brands has announced plans to remove artificial colors from its entire frozen food range by the end of this year, accelerating its shift toward more natural, consumer-friendly ingredients. The company also pledged to phase out synthetic dyes across all its retail products by the end of 2027.
The manufacturer of popular brands such as Healthy Choice, Slim Jim, Snack Pack, Birds Eye, and Marie Callender’s is aligning with a growing industry movement to eliminate synthetic additives in response to rising consumer demand and increased regulatory attention on ultra-processed foods.
In addition, Conagra stated it will stop selling products containing synthetic dyes to K-12 schools by the start of the 2026–2027 academic year.
This move places Conagra among a wave of major food manufacturers—alongside General Mills, Kraft Heinz, and Nestlé—who have recently committed to eliminating artificial coloring. The flurry of announcements comes amid heightened scrutiny from health authorities and growing pressure to reformulate food products for greater nutritional transparency.
While Conagra did not specify how many of its current products still contain artificial colors, the company’s short six-month timeline for frozen foods suggests that the transition is already well underway for that segment. In contrast, products like Snack Pack pudding—part of Conagra’s broader snack portfolio—may require more extensive reformulation, justifying the longer 2027 deadline.
“Conagra Brands is known for innovating delicious, on-trend foods, and our transition away from artificial colors is just one aspect of our broader strategy to modernize our portfolio to align with consumer preferences,” said Tom McGough, Chief Operating Officer at Conagra Brands.
The commitment also reflects broader governmental efforts to reduce synthetic additives in the national food supply. Earlier this year, authorities called on food companies to voluntarily remove six synthetic food dyes by 2027, signaling a growing policy push toward cleaner labels and better food transparency.
With this initiative, Conagra joins a growing list of manufacturers reshaping the processed food landscape by prioritizing natural alternatives and responding to evolving health-conscious consumer trends.