Nestle to launch a vegan KitKat bar this year

The food conglomerate giant is expanding its line of plant-based products

Nestle will launch the KitKat V, a vegan chocolate bar, this year. Courtesy Nestle

Plant-based chocolate fans will now be able to take a break with a vegan KitKat, as parent company Nestle has announced it will launch the KitKat V later this year.

Not only will it be certified vegan, but the new bar will also be made from 100 per cent sustainable cocoa.

It will launch in several countries and will initially be available through the KitKat Chocolatory and selected retailers for a testing phase, before a wider global roll-out.

There was no immediate response to a request from The National for information on where it will be available.

It was, however, developed in the UK, by chocolate experts in Nestle's confectionery research and development centre in York, the original home of KitKat.

While the announcement did not state what the new KitKat will be made of, Bloomberg has reported that it will use a rice-based formula to imitate the milk chocolate found in the original bar.

Whatever the ingredients are, the company has promised that it will deliver "the perfect balance between crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love".

Alexander von Maillot, head of confectionery at Nestle, said: "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. I can't wait for people to be able to try this amazingly tasty new KitKat."

This is not the first time Nestle has released a plant-based dairy alternative. The company has already launched products made from rice, oat, soya, coconut, pea and almonds, including ice cream, coffee creamers, cappuccinos, lattes, a range of cheese, burgers and even condensed milk.

"There is a quiet food revolution under way that is changing how people eat," von Maillot added. "We want to be at the forefront of that, championing the discovery of plant-based food and beverages. What better way to do that than offering a vegan version of one of our most famous and much-loved brands?"