Nestlé: Vegan KitKat ahead of Europe-wide market launch

12-Oct-2022 - Austria

Fans of KitKat can soon take a vegan break. That's because KitKat V, the vegan version of the iconic candy, will also be available in Austria from the end of October. Austria thus follows a group of 15 European countries where the product was launched last month.

This followed a test launch in the UK and a number of other countries in 2021, which was met with high demand and positive feedback from consumers.

The new KitKat V was developed by chocolate experts at Nestlé's Confectionery Research and Development Center in York, UK, the original home of KitKat. By combining Nestlé's expertise in chocolate innovation and dairy-free alternatives, the company was able to perfectly blend smooth chocolate with plant-based ingredients.

Louise Barrett, Head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Center in York, says: "Last year we decided to manufacture KitKat V in our R&D production facilities so we could get the product on the shelves much faster and test it with our consumers. The response from consumers has been overwhelming and we are now looking forward to rolling out the product more widely."

Florian Stahrl, Business Manager Confectionery at Nestlé Austria, commented, "We havebeen receiving requests for vegan alternatives for years. We are all the more pleased to be able to introduce KitKat V, a long-awaited launch in the Austrian confectionery market. Consumers do not want to compromise on taste compared to non-vegan alternatives. This is exactly what was taken into account in the development of KitKat V. The bar convinces even without milk through delicious chocolate flavor, delicate chocolate texture and the crispy wafer. Those who want to see for themselves can do so soon and should keep an eye out for the eye-catching red and green packaging."

KitKat V is made from sustainably sourced cocoa under the Nestlé Cocoa Plan with RAINFOREST ALLIANCE™ certification and is vegan certified. The milk in the original KitKat is replaced with a rice-based alternative that provides the perfect texture and taste. The bar still offers the optimal balance of the crunchy wafer and soft chocolate that people know and love.

The new vegan KitKat is manufactured at Nestlé's confectionery factory in Hamburg, Germany. It is sold in 15 European countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Hungary and the Netherlands.

Throughout the entire cycle from farm to fork, KitKat V has an 18% lower carbon footprint than the original milk chocolate KitKat. This is due to the change in recipe to all-vegetable ingredients. The carbon reduction is certified by the Carbon Trust.

Corinne Gabler, Head of Confectionery for Europe, says: "There is a quiet revolution in snacking as more and more people seek out plant-based treats. This is one of the biggest ever launches of a vegan alternative by a major confectionery brand and shows our confidence in this trend. We're excited to offer KitKat V to all the KitKat fans out there who have asked us to do so!"

Nestlé is continuously expanding the range of plant-based foods and beverages in its product portfolio. A growing range of plant-based products is helping the food manufacturer move toward "green zero." Nestlé's latest innovations include plant-based alternatives to meat and fish, milk alternatives, coffee blends, vegan confectionery and more.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

https://www.yumda.com/en/news/1178061/nestle-vegan-kitkat-ahead-of-europe-wide-market-launch.html