Vegan KitKat Is Officially Gone—Here’s What Happened

In 2022, it seemed like Nestlé’s vegan KitKat was everywhere. Well, not everywhere exactly (the US never got it, since American KitKats are produced by Hershey’s), but the dairy-free version of the iconic candy bar rolled out in 15 countries across Europe, including Germany, France, Greece, the UK, and Ireland. For a while, it looked like the plant-based KitKat was destined for success, even landing on the McDonald’s Germany menu in a vegan McFlurry.

At the time, Louise Barrett, head of Nestlé’s confectionery product technology center, said the team had “worked very hard” to find the right balance of plant-based milk alternatives. “The result is a vegan chocolate that we’re very proud of,” she added. “I hope all KitKat fans will love it as much as we do.”

Nestlé

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But just three years later, the vegan KitKat dream has officially ended. Earlier this year, Nestlé confirmed the product would be discontinued everywhere except the UK and Ireland, where it would remain until the end of summer. Now, summer is over, and so is the vegan KitKat.

A spokesperson cited falling “global demand” and “complex” manufacturing as the reasons behind the move, adding: “We know there will be some disappointment.”

Is Nestlé backing away from vegan products?

Nestlé has invested heavily in plant-based products over the past decade. In 2017, it acquired Sweet Earth and Garden Gourmet, and in 2021, it launched its own pea milk brand, Wunda. But more recently, the food giant has pulled Garden Gourmet from UK shelves and reduced Sweet Earth’s product range, signs that its strategy may be shifting.

This could reflect broader consumer trends. While the plant-based market continues to grow, many shoppers are now skeptical of ultra-processed foods. Some companies are repositioning themselves. Beyond Meat, for example, has recently rebranded to simply “Beyond.”

Hershey’s

Still, other multinationals are holding firm. Hershey’s, for example, has been steadily removing dairy from some of its most popular candies, and it has shown no moves towards taking its oat chocolate bar or Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups from shelves. 

The end of vegan KitKat is bittersweet. Sweet because, for a brief moment, Nestlé showed that its global favorite could be made dairy-free, but bitter because it didn’t last. However, if you’re craving that iconic chocolate wafer crunch, there are plenty of alternatives.

Trupo is crowdfunding its dairy-free Mega Wafer Bars (touted as the vegan answer to KitKat Chunky), while brands like No Whey Foods, Unreal, and Justin’s are keeping nostalgic, plant-based candy bars alive.