Otis Spunkmeyer completes reformulation to eliminate artificial colors

Otis Spunkmeyer says it has removed all federal food, drug and cosmetic certified colors from its baked goods. Effectively, this means all Otis Spunkmeyer-branded foods made in the U.S. after January 1 are free from artificial food-grade dyes. The company noted that only a small number of its items previously contained certified colors, and those recipes have been reformulated to eliminate them.

Otis Spunkmeyer has been building its convenience services presence around individually wrapped baked snacks that fit vending and micro markets, with the brand citing strong repeat sales from micro market shoppers and competitive pricing in the category, according to Paul Stippich, Otis Spunkmeyer’s senior director of marketing, in a VendingMarketWatch.com article in 2024.

Otis Spunkmeyer also pointed to its participation in the American Bakers Association’s “Baked Goods in Schools Pledge,” a voluntary commitment to eliminate certified colors in baked goods provided to K-12 schools through the National School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program and competitive foods programs by the start of the 2026-27 school year. Otis Spunkmeyer said it met that goal ahead of the pledge timeline.

In a statement, the company described the change as part of its broader product innovation efforts to align with evolving consumer expectations.