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According to an insider organization Vegan Food UK, global food giant Nestlé will be launching a vegan version of its KitKat chocolate.
Through an Instagram post, Vegan Food UK revealed that Swiss giant Nestlé has created a plant-based version of the KitKat chocolate while sharing an image of the product with the label ‘vegan’ on its packaging.
In the U.K. alone, over a billion Kit Kat chocolate bars are consumed each year and an astonishing 17.6 billion Kit Kat fingers are produced in factories around the globe every year.
Additionally, the chocolate bar will soon be available for purchase in Britain with plans of product expansion to the U.S. as well. “We can’t say our source, but Vegan KitKats are coming to the UK market,” the organization wrote on Instagram.
While details of the launch are under wraps, the vegan version of the KitKat has ‘vegan chocolate’ as its first ingredient and is created using vegan wafers.
Tackling climate change can’t wait, and neither can we. It is imperative to the long-term success of our business. We have a unique opportunity to address climate change, as we operate in nearly every country in the world and have the size, scale and reach to make a difference
Mark Schneider, CEO, Nestle
Nestle has been working on a range of plant-based products with Vittoria Simms, Nestlé’s marketing lead for Dairy Brands UK mentioning the need for the same. “It has been a challenge for vegans to find suitable alternatives to make dairy or caramel-based sweet treats or desserts, without having to compromise on taste, texture or appearance.”
In December of last year, Nestlé pledged to invest a total of CHF 3.2 billion (US$3.59 billion) over the next five years as part of its long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
Discussing the company’s sustainability goals, Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said: “Tackling climate change can’t wait, and neither can we. It is imperative to the long-term success of our business. We have a unique opportunity to address climate change, as we operate in nearly every country in the world and have the size, scale and reach to make a difference.”
Last year alone, the company launched a dairy-free version of its classic Carnation canned condensed milk created from oat and rice flour and also stepped into the alternative seafood space in its country of origin, Switzerland, with its new plant-based tuna, Sensational Vuna debuting under Garden Gourmet and in Canada, Nestlé offers vegan versions of its Drumstick ice cream cones.
The company also launched Harvest Gourmet, its plant-based food brand for the Chinese market as well as opened its doors to its Tianjin-based production site, where a portion of the facility will be used to produce its new Harvest Gourmet branded plant-based products.
Though Nestle is stepping into sustainability with its plant-based alternatives, it has been questioned for its forced labor practices in its supply chain and faces accusations in issues like unethical water mining, and its contributions to deforestation.
Vegan chocolates are having a moment around the world with several brands investing in these products including giants like James Cadbury, the great-great-great grandson of Cadbury founder John Cadbury and the owner of artisan chocolate brand Love Cocoa who announced plans to launch a new chocolate line that is entirely vegan called Happiness in Plants (HiP).
Also, last year Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli announced it will debut a range of vegan chocolate bars made with oat milk and will be made available in 100% recyclable packaging. Also in the U.K., Fellow Creatures, a plant-based chocolate company is working to make chocolate made from milk alternatives mainstream.
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