KitKat V will soon disappear from store shelves worldwide, though will retain a small presence in the UK until its inevitable discontinuation in the summer.
The vegan friendly chocolate bar is the latest in a growing number of high-profile products that have been pulled from sale recently.
Earlier this week, Arla Foods announced it was discontinuing plant-based milk alternative brand Jörd in the UK as it refocuses the product for the foodservice channel.
Falling demand
A Nestlé spokesman said: “We know that KitKat Vegan has been popular for those looking for dairy or vegan alternatives. Unfortunately, global demand has been reducing to the point that production was making manufacturing more and more complex and we have now made the difficult decision to discontinue the product.
We know there will be some disappointment, however it will still be available in the UK and Ireland until the summer.”
Originally debuting in 2021, KitKat V was developed by chocolatiers and food scientists at Nestlé’s research and development centre. The candy bar is certified vegan and features smooth chocolate blended plant-based ingredients and a crisp wafer base.
Developing vegan alternatives
Speaking at the launch of KitKat V, Nestlé Confectionery marketing director Alex Gonnella said it had seen an ‘incredible’ response to its vegan friendly Fruit Pastilles, which in turn sparked the development of more vegan alternatives to its most popular products.
“The most common request we see on social media is for a vegan KitKat, so we’re delighted to be able to make that wish come true,” Gonella added.
Meanwhile, almost a fifth of those aged 19-22 who previously followed a vegetarian or vegan diet have stopped, with 45% saying that they didn’t think the diet was healthy for them. In addition, almost half of those surveyed said they have no interest in trying a vegetarian or vegan diet.
