Swiss food and drink company Nestle has introduced a vegan version of one of its most loved products, KitKat. The KitKat V that has acquired vegan certification and cleared the necessary tests will be initially distributed in 15 European countries.
The launch follows a survey that showed an impressive response to plant-based chocolate. The survey showed there would be potential customers if a vegan KitKat were sold in stores.
KitKat V has its birthplace in the R&D center of the confectionary department of Nestle in York, UK. Nestle’s expertise in making chocolates for more than a century ensured they were successful in maintaining the taste and nutrition in this plant-based alternative as well. Nestle used technology and innovation to use non-dairy products in developing the all-new KitKat V.
Louise Barrett, head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Center in York, said in an article that they took the decision last year to produce KitKat V in their R&D production facilities to bring the product to the shelves much faster and also to test it with consumers.
The response from consumers was overwhelming and this spurred the company to launch it on a much broader scale, Barrett said.
KitKat V’s ingredients
KitKat V has received its vegan certification. The brand sustainably sources cocoa through the Nestle Cocoa Plan under the Reliance Alliance certification.
Milk used in the original recipe has been replaced with rice-based substances. This gives the same smooth texture and flavor as the original recipe. The crispy wafer is still maintained, giving customers the same taste and enjoyment.
The KitKat V will be made in Hamburg, Germany, at Nestle’s confectionary center. It will be sold in 15 countries–Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, and the Netherlands.
As it is a vegan product, the production process of KitKat V has an 18% less carbon footprint than the original KitKat, and is certified by the Carbon Trust.
Rising trend of veganism
Corinne Gabler, head of confectionery for Europe, said they see a strong trend in food with more people looking for plant-based options. Gabler said this is one of the biggest launches ever of a vegan alternative of a major confectionery brand, and it shows their confidence in this trend.
There has been a rise in demand for veganism products all over the world and keeping this in mind, the company is working to introduce many more plant-based products.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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