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Vegan chocolates came out on top in a blind taste test conducted by a world master chocolatier in the Daily Mail – whose daily readership spans more than two million.
The test saw award-winning chocolate expert Ruth Hinks try and rate ten well-known global chocolate brands and vegan counterparts including Lindt and Cadbury.
Vegan chocolate
Results revealed vegan chocolate championed half the categories, with a tie in the whole nut category.
Hinks, who has featured on The Hairy Bikers Chocolate Challenge, was ‘intrigued’ at brands recreating vegan versions of milk chocolate and pleasantly surprised by the test.
She rated a plethora of the dairy-free products highly. Top scorers included Doisy and Dam Ballers.
Hinks said: “I suspect even my Malteser-loving 13-year-old son would be just as happy with the vegan version.”
‘Seriously impressive’
Moreover, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Free From Sea Salted Choc ‘almost fooled’ her – preferring it over Galaxy’s non-vegan Blond Chocolate.
NOMO’s Fruit and Crunchy Chocolate Bar beat Yorkie too. Hinks said she preferred it as it was less sugary.
Additionally, vegan brand Ombar beat Cadbury in the milk chocolate round.
However this wasn’t the case when it came to hazelnut chocolate. Upon comparing Lindt with Moo Free, the ‘seriously impressive’ vegan version scored highest.
In the white chocolate category, Sainsbury’s Free From White Choc Bar met defeat over Nestle’s Milkybar. Hinks described the vegan version similar to ‘chewing a candle’.
Vegan success
A host of vegan chocolates are now available, and many more are cropping up from giants such as Mars and Cadbury.
Nestlé confirmed the launch of a vegan KitKat earlier this year, for example. Additionally, Lindt launched a vegan range made from oat milk.
Which chocolate brands are ethical?
Many vegans boycott certain big brands due to ethics. Nestlé is a brand some vegans boycott due to its chequered history when it comes to various business practices.
Following an internal investigation, Nestlé admitted that forced labor practices were taking place in its supply chain.
This article has been updated on 23/03/20 to include information about ethical brands
