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Mondelez introduces a vegan version of its Cadbury bar

Cadbury will soon have a new vegan chocolate bar in the U.K., called the Cadbury Plant Bar, Mondelez International announced. The new plant-based offering is inspired by Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, one of the most well-known chocolate bar options in the region.

Beginning in November, the bars will be available at Sainbury’s throughout the U.K. with plans to expand to other retailers in January next year. Each 90g bar will retail for £2.50.

In order to achieve a silky smooth texture, this vegan alternative uses almond paste instead of milk in its formulation which “provides a similar taste and texture to milk ingredients while offering a hint of nuttiness,” the company said in a statement. Texture and taste are two considerations that consumers weigh heavily when switching to a vegan version of classic brands. In fact, taste has continued to be a hurdle for manufacturers developing alternative products, so if Cadbury is able to replicate both the tast and texture of its classic Dairy Milk bar, the reward for its effort is likely to be immense.

Cadbury is launching this new bar into a market that is hungry for vegan options in confectionery. Today, U.S., U.K. and Australian fudge and chocolate products with vegan label claims only account for 5.6% of products sold. Considering the popularity of plant-based products, this leaves a long runway for growth for companies looking to get into the vegan confectionery market that is currently worth $1 billion, according to Abillion.

It is clear that Mondelez International has seen this growing demand and is looking to tap into this market with this product launch. “With 500,000 participants in this year’s Veganuary – double the number of participants from the year before, the increasing public appetite for varied snacking options and plant-based alternatives has never been more apparent,” U.K. managing director at Mondelēz International Louise Stigant said in the release.

Nor does the company intend for the debut of this vegan Cadbury line to be the culmination of its efforts to appeal to shoppers seeking vegan alternatives. The company said that it may decide to eventually introduce these bars in the U.S., but that may present a unique set of challenges as Hershey owns Cadbury manufacturing in the U.S.

With over two years of development behind this launch, Cadbury did not just stop at overhauling its formulation to focus on plant-based. This new plant bar is sealed in 100% plant-based packaging made from biosourced plastics from renewable sources. Sustainability is another priority that many people are keen on incorporating into their purchases. In fact, the consulting firm Kearney found that nearly half of consumers are more concerned about the effect of their purchases on the environment after the pandemic.