SWITZERLAND – Swiss food manufacturing giant Nestlé is fulfilling the wishes of plant-based fans around the world by launching a vegan chocolate bar in 2020 under its popular KitKat brand.

The launch follows other recent innovations from KitKat, including KitKat Ruby and KitKat Chocolatory Cacao Fruit Chocolate, using the first chocolate made entirely from the cocoa fruit.

Nestlé, in a statement revealed that the new vegan KitKat – called KitKat V – will be launched later in the year in several countries across the globe.

 During the initial launch, Nestlé says KitKat V will only be available through the KitKat Chocolatory and selected retailers, to test the opportunity for a wider roll-out.

A perfect balance between crispy wafer and smooth chocolate

Nestlé says the new KitKat V was developed by chocolate experts in Nestlé’s confectionery research and development center in York, UK, the original home of KitKat.

The company says it has worked hard to make a vegan version that would live up to the high expectations of KitKat lovers everywhere.

It is now confident that that the plant-based variant delivers a “perfect balance between crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love.”

“One of the most common requests we see on social media is for a vegan KitKat, so we’re delighted to be able to make that wish come true,” Alexander von Maillot, Head of Confectionery at Nestlé confided.

“I can’t wait for people to be able to try this amazingly tasty new KitKat. This is a product for everyone who wants a little more plant-based in their life!” Maillot added.

A timely innovation

Surveys have shown that people are interested in exploring more plant-based foods across different categories.

The launch of the vegan chocolate bar is thus timely as it will help Nestlé to leverage on this trend to generate more sales.

KitKat is however not the only plant-based product that the company has launched.

Prior to its unveiling, Nestle already had a sizeable portfolio of plant-based alternatives to dairy made from rice, oat, soy, coconut, pea and almonds across categories.

Examples include non-dairy ice cream, coffee creamers, rice- and oat-based drinks, pea-based beverages, plant-based cappuccinos and lattes, a vegan condensed milk alternative, as well as a range of non-dairy cheese to complement existing plant-based burgers.

Maillot notes that there is a quiet food revolution underway that is changing how people eat and his company wants to be at the forefront of that, championing the discovery of plant-based food and beverages.

“What better way to do that than offering a vegan version of one of our most famous and much-loved brands?” The Head of Confectionery at Nestlé poses.

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