[Article updated following the Nestlé confirmation] Global food producer Nestlé is preparing the launch of a vegan version of the classic Kit Kat. “Nestlé is fulfilling the wishes of plant-based fans around the world by launching a vegan KitKat in 2021, “Alexander von Maillot, Head of Confectionery at Nestlé, said, “There is a quiet food revolution underway that is changing how people eat. We want to be at the forefront of that.”
KitKat V – will roll out this year across several markets and initially will only be available through the KitKat Chocolatory and selected retailers, as a trial period. Nestlé states that the new product was created in response to consumer demand on social media.
The move will be unsurprising to many as the world’s largest food and beverage company has been increasingly investing in plant-based foods and tech. It recently launched a new research and development accelerator for vegetable milks and has been expanding its meat-free Garden Gourmet range, launching a vegan tuna. In 2020, it launched a vegan Carnation condensed milk in the UK, and made its plant-based debut in China with its Harvest Gourmet brand.
Though the Swiss conglomerate may be leading the way with plant-based alternatives, many consumers are known to boycott the business, with a history of questionable business practices. Nestlé is clearly keen to be seen as moving towards ethical and sustainable practices such as plant-based.
“What you’re seeing here is a once in a generation opportunity to review, rejuvenate, re-energise this category because these ingredients, these plant-based ingredients, can find their way in so many of our dishes in follow-on products that make up this category,” said Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider, speaking last year about its plant-based activities.
