Nestlé To Roll Out Vegan Version Of KitKat Chocolate Bar

Nestlé NSRGY is planning to premiere a vegan version of its KitKat chocolate bar.

What Happened: The new product, called KitKat V, will be introduced later in the year in selected countries through the company's online KitKat Chocolatory and selected retailers.

A U.S. release was not confirmed by the Swiss-headquartered company. Nestlé licenses KitKat production and sales in the U.S. with The Hershey Co. HSY.

KitKat was introduced in September 1935 in Great Britain as Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp. Nestlé, which acquired Rowntree's in 1989, developed the vegan version of the product at its confectionery research and development center in York, England. Although the company did not present an ingredient list for the product or explain what would replace the dairy aspect of its milk chocolate, it said in a press statement that it would be "made from 100% sustainable cocoa sourced through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in conjunction with the Rainforest Alliance."

Why It Matters: While there are roughly 25 vegan chocolate bars on the market — most notably from the Endangered Species, Hu Kitchen, Chocolove and Ocho brands — Nestlé's KitKat V will be the first mainstream chocolate bar product line to be reconfigured with a vegan offering.

"One of the most common requests we see on social media is for a vegan KitKat, so we're delighted to be able to make that wish come true," Alexander von Maillot, head of confectionery at Nestlé, said in a statement. 

"I can't wait for people to be able to try this amazingly tasty new KitKat. This is a product for everyone who wants a little more plant-based in their life."

In a press statement, the company said it "already launched plant-based alternatives to dairy made from rice, oat, soy, coconut, pea and almonds across categories. Examples 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, as well as a range of non-dairy cheese to complement existing plant-based burgers."

Photo courtesy Nestlé.