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Nestlé plans to launch a vegan KitKat bar

For those looking for plant-based treats, KitKat bars will soon offer a vegan alternative, announced Swiss CPG giant Nestlé. The newest KitKat formulation will be called KitKat V, and it will be certified vegan as well as use 100% sustainable cocoa.

While the exact ingredient list of its vegan formula was not released alongside the announcement, Nestlé noted that consumers will “soon have a delicious plant-based option that delivers the perfect balance between crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love.”

However, not everyone will immediately have access to this new sweet treat. When the vegan KitKat rolls out, it will be available in “several countries across the globe,” the company said. Nestlé did not disclose all those future destinations for the debut of its vegan candy bar, but it did say in the release that in the initial testing phases for the product that these new KitKats will only be available in boutique KitKat Chocolatory shops or online and through select retailers.

Britain is one location that is sure to receive vegan KitKats in the initial launch as research for this new vegan KitKat was done in the country. However, the U.S. will not take part in the initial testing wave and will have to be on the waiting list for a future release date since KitKat in that country is produced under a licensing agreement with Hershey’s, the company said.

This launch is part of the company’s larger effort to help "people embrace a more plant-based diet, with options across its wide range of food and beverages." Already, Nestlé has developed and released plant-based alternatives to dairy made from rice, oat, soy, coconut, pea and almonds that are found in its non-dairy ice cream, coffee creamers and other products.

In addition to appealing to consumers that are looking toward plant-based alternatives for health reasons, vegan diets are also more sustainable. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee found in 2015 that eating less meat was better for the environment, The Hill reported at the time. Nestlé, which is planning to spend billions to reach its sustainability goals of net-zero emissions by 2050, cut food waste and create sustainable packaging alternatives, is opening yet another avenue to help reach these goals through its crispy, veganized KitKat bar.