From confectioneryproduction.com
After a production run of four years, Nestlé has confirmed that is has ceased global manufacturing of its vegan KitKat brand amid major cost pressures impacting the business, reports Neill Barston.
The news first broke earlier this year that the writing had been on the wall for the variety, as it reported that its sales had been waning in the UK, despite the brand gaining notable listings around the country.
As previously covered, the vegan-friendly offering had won praise from consumers for its taste – which was compared favourably against its regular variety.
It comes as the wider sector has grappled with comparatively elevated cocoa prices, which reached more than $12,000 a tonne on cocoa futures markets in New York and London, before dropping below $10,000 in recent months.
Confectionery Production previously reported in 2022, that the vegan version of the flagship chocolate bar series had enjoyed an initial burst of success, as demand for plant-based ranges soured post-pandemic.
The company had hailed a sustained spike in product development in the wake of the British vegan market quadrupling between 2014 (when there were just 150,000 vegans), through to 2019 when a total of 600,000 were officially recorded, with the figure showing an continued upward curve during the pandemic.
As previously reported, the vegan KitKat V was developed by chocolate experts at Nestlé’s confectionery research and development centre in York, UK, the original home of KitKat.
It combined Nestlé’s expertise in chocolate innovation and non-dairy alternatives, they managed to perfectly blend the smooth chocolate with plant-based ingredients.
However, as previously reported, the vegan variety had required notable expense in production, requiring its own separate manufacturing facilities at its British base, which created further cost considerations.
A spokesperson for Nestle confirmed that the production lines had now ceased for global Vegan KitKat lines, though added that consumers could still get their hands on the brand from Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores while stocks last.
It is not known whether the brand could potentially be brought back by popular demand, but the company has in fact offered limited revival of several nostalgic products in recent years.
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