M&M's Just Announced a Brand-New Flavor Fit for the Fall

M&M’s just announced a new flavor. And while it sounds delicious, the timing is surprising.

Early summer may have you craving fruity, citrusy, and ice-cream-inspired treats. But Mars has something else in store for the hottest months of the year: pumpkin pie.

This week, the company that owns M&M’s announced a brand new flavor of the beloved bite-sized candy: Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, which will combine pumpkin spice flavors (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice) with a milk chocolate shell for that cozy autumnal feel-good taste. We thought we had until at least Labor Day before pumpkin spice everything hit, but well, big twist: This pumpkin pie will melt in your mouth, not your hands on the beach. 

The pre-seasonal launch of the Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie M&Ms is a strategic move that taps into Mars’ market research. This research indicates that Gen Z and Millennials plan to celebrate Halloween by dressing up and planning for the holiday about 6.8 weeks beforehand. Well, 6.8 weeks from Memorial Day is the Fourth of July, so you still have plenty of time to latch onto a pop culture trend and turn it into a creative costume. 

Still, you can pre-plan your early Halloween with pumpkin-flavored candies, if you choose. 

“At Mars, we celebrate Halloween every day, all year long,” said Tim LeBel, chief Halloween officer and president of sales at Mars Wrigley North America in a news release. “Our 2024 Mars Wrigley Halloween product line-up is a direct reflection of our consumer obsession and offers a playful blend of taste, creativity, and on-trend seasonal offerings to deliver products we know will end up in the ‘good’ pile on Halloween night.”

The M&M’s Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie may not be your preferred poolside treat, but luckily there are plenty more summertime flavors in the M&M’s collection. 

In March, the brand launched a limited-edition Ice Cream Sundae White & Dark Chocolate Candy, featuring M&M’s with creamy notes of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge, topped with a light cherry flavor. Caramel Cold Brew M&M’s are a hit with the iced coffee-loving crowd, and honestly, Almond M&M’s make snacking on nuts not so painful. And of course, M&M’s ice cream sandwiches are a nostalgic summertime hit. 

If you are counting down to Halloween (22 weeks from now), you may be excited for more of Mars’ upcoming offerings inspired by their trend reports. New variety bags will blend fruity and chocolate candies including Twix, Snickers, Life Savers Gummies, and Skittles Gummies for the best of everything in one package. 

We don’t have an exact date the new candy will hit shelves, but keep an eye out for spookily unseasonal Halloween treats.