The KitKat V, a plant-based version of one of the most well-known chocolate bars in the world, will go on sale starting this Friday in 15 European countries, including the UK. Nestle SA, a Swiss food giant, is behind the launch.
As previously reported, the vegan KitKat uses a rice-based mix as a milk alternative, unlike the traditional KitKat. It took two years to produce and is one of the largest launches of a vegan option for a well-known candy company.
We have four in 10 consumers saying they are interested to move to a more plant-based diet, said Corinne Gabler, Nestle’s head of confectionery for Europe in an interview. It could be a significant market in the confectionery area.
The vegan chocolate market is currently estimated to be worth $533 million, and in ten years, that market is projected to more than double to $1.4 billion.
Big brands are now joining the foray into milk chocolate substitutes that small labels initiated. Under the Hello brand, the Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli AG offers oat milk-based bars that are popular for their foil-wrapped Easter bunnies. The Bounty, Topic, and Galaxy bars from Mars have vegan variants, and the Plant Bar from Mondelez International Inc.’s Cadbury debuted last year as a dairy-free alternative to Dairy Milk.
However, there have been some hiccups. In a dispute over labeling, Britain’s largest supermarket Tesco Plc recently discontinued stocking Mars Inc.’s vegan Galaxy chocolate bars.
As Nestle learned when their Milkybar Wowsomes, which had 30% less sugar, were taken from the shelves due to insufficient demand, new product launches can also fail.
However, Nestle is starting with 300 tons with potential to create more and has high expectations for KitKat V, according to Gabler. When compared to KitKat’s popular items in Europe, which sell thousands of tons annually. Despite being created in York, England, the center of Nestle’s research centre for chocolate, mainstream production will happen in Hamburg, Germany, due to its greater capacity.
Unfriendly news is that KitKat V will probably cost more than the regular version, which is unfortunate given the worst cost of living crisis in decades.
According to Nestle, this is because it costs more to create because the ingredients are more expensive and production lines need to be cleaned thoroughly.
According to Gabler, during Nestle’s trial last year, KitKat V was offered for sale in some stores for about 90 pence ($1.06), as opposed to 60 or 70 pence for the non-vegan version. She added the business is looking at efficiencies to close the gap as little as feasible.
According to Louise Barrett, head of the Nestle Confectionery Product Technology Center in York, Nestle tested a variety of non-dairy substitutes, such as oats, soy, and almond, before settling on its rice-based formula for the right creamy texture that fans of the non-vegan version are used to to.
It’s super challenging, said Barrett. Our R&D experts have worked to make it as close as possible.
