The new vegan version of the iconic KitKat will be on shelves from mid-June in the United Kingdom, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Further countries will soon follow, including Australia and Brazil. In addition, KitKat V will be available through the KitKat Chocolatory and selected retailers.

KitKat V lives up to the hype, already amazing some lucky KitKat fans who could sample the vegan treat. According to Nestlé, it still offers the perfect balance between the crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love.

KitKat V was developed by chocolate experts at Nestlé's confectionery research and development center in York, UK, the original home of KitKat. Combining Nestlé's expertise in chocolate innovation and non-dairy alternatives, they managed to blend the smooth chocolate with plant-based ingredients. That has resulted in a great-tasting, no-compromise vegan version of KitKat, Nestlé claims.

Louise Barrett, head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Center in York, says, "Our challenge when we set out to create a vegan-friendly KitKat was to recreate this iconic product using plant-based alternatives. To achieve this, we worked very hard to get the right balance between the milk alternative and the cocoa. The result is a vegan chocolate that we're very proud of, and I hope all KitKat fans will love it as much as we do."

KitKat V is certified vegan and made from 100% sustainable cocoa sourced through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in conjunction with the Rainforest Alliance. In addition, the milk in the original KitKat is replaced with a rice-based alternative, which gives the perfect texture and flavor.

Alexander von Maillot, head of Confectionery at Nestlé, says, "KitKat continues to surprise people with new flavors and ingredients. One of the most common requests we see on social media is for a vegan KitKat, so we're delighted to be able to make that wish come true. This is for everyone who wants a little more plant-based in their life when they treat themselves!"

Surveys across the globe have shown that people are interested in exploring more plant-based foods across different categories. So Nestlé is helping them embrace a more plant-based diet, with options across its wide range of food and beverages.

The company has already launched plant-based alternatives to dairy made from rice, oat, soy, coconut, pea, and almonds across categories. Examples include non-dairy ice cream, coffee creamers, rice- and oat-based drinks, pea-based beverages, plant-based cappuccinos and lattes, a vegan condensed milk alternative, as well as a range of non-dairy cheese to complement plant-based burgers.