Nestlé discontinues vegan KitKat amid low demand, reiterates commitment to sustainable cocoa

SWITZERLAND—Nestlé has discontinued its vegan KitKat or KitKat V due to declining demand, phasing out the dairy-free chocolate biscuit bar in all markets except the UK and Ireland. 

A Nestlé spokesperson said. “KitKat vegan was popular among those looking for dairy or vegan alternatives. Unfortunately, the sales were reduced to the point where production added significant complexity to our manufacturing operations, which could not be sustained. We have therefore made the difficult decision to discontinue KitKat Vegan.”

Nestlé noted that vegan chocolate is “still a niche market,” as conventional chocolate products continue to dominate the confectionery category and contribute the vast majority of sales. In line with consumer choices, the company aims to focus on classic chocolate variants in the KitKat range in the foreseeable future.

On whether these strategic changes in the plant-based segment impact Nestlé’s Net Zero by 2050 objective, the spokesperson says: “KitKat is definitely part of the efforts we deliver in the confectionery category to support the Nestlé Net Zero commitment.

“KitKat is our leading global confectionery brand and will carry the efforts we deliver at each stage of our supply chain.”

The KitKat V discontinuation follows a string of similar suspensions in Nestlé’s plant-based portfolio.

In 2024, the Swiss multinational discontinued its Carnation Vegan Condensed Milk Alternative and Nescafé Plant-Based Coffee Pods to focus on better-performing products as demand declined.

Commitment to sustainable cocoa

Despite Kitkat V’s discontinuation, the spokesperson reiterates the company’s commitment to sustainable cocoa: “In confectionery, our focus is on cocoa. Our efforts around certification and the expansion of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan are reducing the cocoa carbon footprint.

“In 2023, we sourced 85.5% of our cocoa through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan. These efforts and the transition to regenerative agricultural practices will continue reducing our footprint.”

The company distributed more than 1.2 million native and fruit trees in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana to build resilience at the farm level and contribute to our efforts to reduce emissions in the same year.

It is targeting 20% reductions in its emissions by the end of this year and 50% by 2030, intending to reach zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

The group also reported a 13.58% reduction in net GHG emissions compared to 2018. 67% of the global Nestlé footprint comes from ingredients and finished goods. Ingredients are key to delivering ambition and represent 50% of the net reductions.

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