Nestle is to introduce its first vegan KitKat option – dubbed KitKat V – this year, addressing the increasing demand for plant-based confectionery.
“One of the most common requests we see on social media is for a vegan KitKat,” said Alexander von Maillot, head of confectionery at Nestle.
According to the company, KitKat V is certified vegan, and made from 100-per-cent sustainable cocoa sourced through the Nestle Cocoa Plan in conjunction with the Rainforest Alliance. It will be the first chocolate made entirely from the cocoa fruit.
In place of milk, the chocolate confectionery uses a rice-based formula.
“Taste was a key factor when developing the plant-based chocolate for our new vegan KitKat,” said Louise Barrett, head of the Nestle Confectionery Product Technology Center in York, the UK.
“We used our expertise in ingredients, together with a test-and-learn approach, to create a delicious vegan alternative to our original chocolate KitKat.”
KitKat V will be tested in several countries across the globe through the KitKat Chocolatory and selected retailers before a decision is made on a wider roll out.
Nestle recently launched plant-based alternatives to dairy products made from rice, oat, soy, coconut, pea and almonds across multiple categories. Products 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, and non-dairy cheese to complement existing plant-based burgers.
