Nestlé is moving to discontinue the vegan KitKat in every country except the UK following declining sales of the product.
KitKat V was first launched in 2021. It uses rice milk chocolate, and was previously available in 15 countries in Europe, including France, Denmark, and Sweden. Nestlé has now confirmed in a statement that it will be focusing on its dairy-based KitKats from now on.
“We know that KitKat vegan was popular amongst those looking for dairy or vegan alternatives. Unfortunately, the sales were reducing to the point where production was adding significant complexity to our manufacturing operations, which could not be sustained,” a spokesperson told Green Queen. “Our emphasis with the KitKat brand for the foreseeable future will be on classic chocolate variants, as they continue to be the preferred choice among consumers.”
While KitKats remain on sale in the UK for now, it isn’t known if or when they may be removed from shelves.
Read more: When Does Vegan Nutella Come to the UK and USA?
Was the vegan KitKat popular?
The KitKat V divided opinion when it was released. Its price point was higher than the dairy version, and it also used a darker chocolate that wasn’t particularly similar in taste.
Soon after its release, a poll conducted by Plant Based News found that more than a quarter (26.5 percent) of our readers would not be buying the bar, and some commented that they would prefer not to support Nestlé.
If you like the taste of KitKat, there are a number of alternatives available from other brands. Buttermilk is a notable example, which stocks a dairy-free wafter bar reminiscent of a KitKat Chunky.