The vegan KitKat costs £1 and is certified vegan by the Vegan Society.

Nestlé’s new vegan KitKat chocolate has hit Sainsbury’s shelves, according to reports.

The new dairy-free bar – called KitKat V- features chocolate blended with a rice-based alternative to milk for a ‘perfect balance’ between crispy wafer and smooth chocolate.

The cocoa used is 100% sustainable, sourced through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in partnership with the Rainforest Alliance.

The chocolate has been developed by chocolate experts in Nestlé’s Research and Development centre in York, UK.

It costs £1 and is certified vegan by the Vegan Society.

‘Vegan chocolate we’re very proud of’

 “Our challenge when we set out to create a vegan-friendly KitKat was to recreate this iconic product using plant-based alternatives,” Louise Barrett, the head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre, said.

“To achieve this, we worked very hard to get the right balance between the milk alternative and the cocoa.

“The result is a vegan chocolate that we’re very proud of, and that we hope will be enjoyed by KitKat fans everywhere.”

Brand manager Sascha Macchi added: “KitKat has been championing breaks since 1934 and while people’s need for breaks hasn’t changed, the way we take them has.

“KitKat is such a successful brand because it has evolved throughout its history, and the arrival of our vegan-friendly bar means there is now a delicious alternative for anyone looking to enjoy a plant-based break. We hope people love it as much as we do.”

While the vegan version will be rolling out in other European countries as well, Nestlé has also hinted it would soon be launched in Australia.

Nestlé controversy

Despite the vegan-friendly KitKat debut being highly anticipated, many customers avoid Nestlé products due to its history of malpractices when it comes to business strategies.

The brand was embroiled in a major scandal in the 1970s, when many shunned the food and drink company for aggressively promoting its formula milk over breastmilk to women in developing countries.

Nestlé has also been guilty of forced labor practices in its supply chain such as child labor, unethical water mining, and deforestation among others.

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