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A dairy-free chocolate brand that makes plant-based alternatives to classic chocolate bars like KitKat and Twix has broken its fundraiser target in less than 24 hours.
Trupo Treats is an all-vegan brand founded by twin brothers Brian and Charlie Trupo in 2020. Its mission is to “veganize your childhood favorites without sacrificing taste, nostalgia, or ethics.” The Kickstarter officially launched yesterday (Tuesday, March 3), but VIP supporters of the brand helped it reach its first goal of USD $10,000 before the campaign officially opened.
The brand has now stretched its goal to reach $25,000 by the end of today (Wednesday, March 6) – here’s how you can support it.
Trupo Treats Kickstarter campaign
Chocolate fans can now preorder some of the brand-new bars before they hit the shelves. By preordering bars, you will help fund production, and in turn support Trupo in reaching as many customers as possible.
Customers who order bars should expect to receive them around May 2025. You can also select the bundle that best supports your means and lifestyle, and order anything from an eight-bar sampler to a huge 48-bar “master case” with all of the flavors.
“By supporting this campaign, you’re not just getting delicious chocolate – you’re helping prove that compassionate, vegan chocolate belongs right next to Hershey’s, Nestlé, and Mars,” the Trupo founders said in a statement.
Read more: Catherine’s Originals Launches ‘UK’s Largest’ Vegan Easter Egg
The new flavors are as follows:
- Mega Wafer Bar – Described as a “thick, crispy, layered wafer covered in creamy oat milk chocolate.” According to Trupo, this is the first vegan and gluten-free chocolate wafer bar in North America
- Caramel Cookie Bar – A plant-based take on a Twix, this bar features gluten-free cookie layered with caramel and coated in chocolate
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Caramel Bar – This sweet, salty, and crunchy bar marries peanut butter and caramel with pretzels
- Caramel Nougat Bar – A soft, chewy nougat topped with caramel and wrapped in chocolate.
Support the Trupo Treats Kickstarter campaign here
The rise of Trupo
The Trupo brothers were in college at the height of Covid when they had the idea for Trupo Treats. Brian, a life-long vegetarian turned vegan, visited Whole Foods after an intense gym session as he was craving something sweet. He struggled, however, to find creamy and tasty alternatives to the chocolate bars he’d grown up with, and became frustrated with bitter, dark chocolate seemingly dominating the dairy-free market in his local food stores. It was then that he came up with a plan to create high-quality vegan versions of childhood classics.
Sixty days after he had the idea, the brothers launched their first Kickstarter, which raised USD $26,000 from nearly 1,000 backers. Brian used the funding to create his chocolate recipes from his dorm room before moving into production with a co-manufacturer in New Jersey. Trupo bars can now be found in a variety of independent food stores, coffee shops, eateries, and sanctuaries across the US, as well as online.
Trupo describes itself as a “mission-driven” chocolate company, and it has donated more than $25,000 to animal sanctuaries. It also uses Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa and recycled plastic for its packaging.
A better alternative?
It’s an uncertain time for vegan chocolate, with some major brands pulling their vegan products from the shelves. A notable example is Nestlé, which announced the discontinuation of its vegan KitKat in all countries but the UK, citing lack of demand.
According to Trupo, however, some large brands are misunderstanding the dairy-free chocolate market, and not focusing enough on taste and ethical production. “People want better options, but big corporations don’t always listen,” the brand said. “That’s why we’re stepping up to prove the demand for compassionate chocolate is real.”
Trupo Treats is a client of Plant Based News, but this article was written independently.
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