Is Smarties (US) Vegan?

US Smarties are made by Ce De Candy Inc. (trading as Smarties Candy Company) and are entirely different from the chocolate-covered Smarties sold by Nestle in Canada and the UK.

The US version is a compressed dextrose tablet candy, similar in texture to Rockets (the Canadian name for the same product). Ingredients are: Dextrose, Citric Acid, Calcium Stearate, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Colors (Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Blue 2 Lake).

The company confirmed via their FAQ that calcium stearate is plant derived and that no animal products are used in the processing of their candy. All product lines sold under the US Smarties brand, including Original Rolls, Minis, Tropical, and seasonal varieties, use the same base formula and carry the same vegan-friendly status.

One practical note: the products are made in a facility that also handles milk powder, so there is a cross-contamination risk for people with severe dairy allergies, though this does not affect the vegan status of the candy itself. The synthetic food dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2) are technically animal-free in formulation, though some strict vegans object to them on the grounds that they are tested on animals.

Most mainstream vegan guides treat these dyes as acceptable.