EUROPE— Nestle has launched KitKat V, a plant-based version of one of the world’s most popular chocolate bars, with a rollout planned across 15 European countries.
Unlike the classic version, KitKat V, which took two years to develop is certified vegan and made from sustainably sourced cocoa through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, with Rainforest Alliance certification.
The milk in the original KitKat is replaced with a rice-based alternative, which gives the perfect texture and flavour.
It still offers the perfect balance between the crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love, the company claimed.
“We used our expertise in ingredients, together with a test and learn approach, to create a delicious vegan alternative to our original chocolate KitKat,” said Louise Barrett, head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Center in York, England.
As consumers keep a closer watch on what they eat, a shift that has accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, food companies have taken notice — and chocolate is no exception.
We used our expertise in ingredients, together with a test and learn approach, to create a delicious vegan alternative to our original chocolate KitKat
The rise in popularity of dairy-free chocolate has coincided with the growing number of vegans across the world. According to Statista, the worldwide vegan food market grew from US$14.44 billion in 2020 to US$15.77 billion in 2021 and is forecast to continue growing for the next several years.
It’s this rising interest in plant-based food that motivated the launch, suggests Corinne Gabler, Nestle’s Head of Confectionery for Europe. Gabler said to Bloomberg: “We have four in 10 consumers saying they are interested to move to a more plant-based diet.”
While vegan chocolates are a small fraction of the market compared to their animal-based counterparts, the market is large enough that food makers need to have a presence.
A number of other mainstream confectionary brands have also released vegan versions of much-loved chocolate bars in recent years, including Mars, Cadbury and Lindt.
The vegan Kit Kat, which will be produced at Nestlé’s confectionery site in Hamburg, Germany, is likely to cost more than the regular version because it’s more expensive to produce, has pricier ingredients and requires stringent cleaning measures on production lines.
It will be sold in 15 countries across Europe including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, and the Netherlands.
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