Is Mentos Vegan?
It Depends
Not certifiedThe classic Mentos chewy rolls (Mint, Fruit, Rainbow, Cinnamon, Spearmint, Strawberry) are not vegan. They use beeswax as a glazing agent in both the US and UK/EU formulations, and the Rainbow variety adds carmine, a red dye made from crushed cochineal insects. Mentos gum lines (Pure Fresh, Bubble Fresh) contain gelatin. The only Mentos products that are genuinely vegan-friendly are the hard mint formats sold under the Nowmints and Clean Breath sub-brands.
The catch: Beeswax is listed as an ingredient on virtually every Mentos chewy roll sold in the US and UK, making the flagship product non-vegan regardless of flavor.
Category
Candy
Verdict
It Depends
Brand
Perfetti Van Melle
The US ingredient list for standard Mentos Mint rolls (from Open Food Facts, confirmed via Walmart and Kroger listings) reads: sugar, wheat glucose syrup, hydrogenated coconut oil, rice starch, natural flavors, gum arabic, sucrose esters of fatty acids, gellan gum, carnauba wax, beeswax. Beeswax is the last ingredient and acts as a glazing agent for the shell.
The UK/EU formulation mirrors this, with beeswax listed among glazing agents. Note that gellan gum (a microbial polysaccharide) is used as the gelling agent in the chewy center, not gelatin, so the chew texture itself is plant-derived.
The non-vegan issue is the outer coating. Mentos Rainbow adds carmine (E120) for red shades, sourced from cochineal insects.
Mentos Pure Fresh gum and related gum formats list gelatin in the gum base, confirmed on US packaging. Mentos Hard Mints (Nowmints Peppermint, Nowmints Wintergreen, Clean Breath Peppermint, Clean Breath Wintergreen) do not contain beeswax or gelatin and are the only confirmed vegan-friendly products in the Mentos lineup.
Carnauba wax, also used in Mentos rolls, is plant-derived (from palm leaves) and is vegan. Sucrose esters of fatty acids can theoretically be animal-derived, though in practice they are usually plant-based; this is a gray area but a secondary concern given the confirmed presence of beeswax.
What makes it non-vegan
- ✕Beeswax (E901)
- ✕Carmine (E120, in Rainbow variety)
- ✕Gelatin (in Pure Fresh and other gum lines)
Vegan alternatives
- ✓ Mentos Nowmints Hard Mints (Peppermint or Wintergreen)
- ✓ Tic Tac Mints (most flavors are vegan)
- ✓ Polo Mints (UK, original flavor is vegan)
- ✓ Peppersmith Mints (UK, explicitly vegan)
- ✓ PUR Gum (xylitol-based, gelatin-free, vegan)
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Other candy
Frequently asked
Is Mentos Vegan?
The classic Mentos chewy rolls (Mint, Fruit, Rainbow, Cinnamon, Spearmint, Strawberry) are not vegan. They use beeswax as a glazing agent in both the US and UK/EU formulations, and the Rainbow variety adds carmine, a red dye made from crushed cochineal insects. Mentos gum lines (Pure Fresh, Bubble Fresh) contain gelatin. The only Mentos products that are genuinely vegan-friendly are the hard mint formats sold under the Nowmints and Clean Breath sub-brands.
What is the catch with Mentos?
Beeswax is listed as an ingredient on virtually every Mentos chewy roll sold in the US and UK, making the flagship product non-vegan regardless of flavor.
What can I use instead of Mentos?
Vegan options include Mentos Nowmints Hard Mints (Peppermint or Wintergreen), Tic Tac Mints (most flavors are vegan), Polo Mints (UK, original flavor is vegan), Peppersmith Mints (UK, explicitly vegan).
Is Mentos certified vegan?
Mentos does not carry a third-party vegan certification, so the verdict here is based on its current ingredient list and manufacturer information.
Sources
Last verified June 20, 2026. See how we verify. Always confirm on the current product label, since recipes change. Product photo via Open Food Facts.
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