1. Plant-based
Just as tasty and without the guilt
The plant-based movement is taking over the chocolate world. It is no longer just small novel producers who are into animal and planet-friendly chocolate products, even multinational Nestlé has released a vegan KitKat. The food multinational modified the recipe of the iconic chocolate bar so that the ecological footprint is 18% lower than the regular bar. The chocolate is sourced sustainably and the milk has been replaced by a rice-based alternative to stay close to the texture and taste of the original.
The vegan KitKat is in line with the growing consumer appetite for plant-based foods. 56% of consumers around the world buy plant-based food at least monthly, a steep rise from 36% in 2018. Many see plant-based treats as an enjoyable and guilt-free indulgent moment. Consumers are increasingly aware of the food system’s climate impact and take that into consideration in their purchasing decisions, making vegan chocolate a logical choice.
Opting for vegan foods gives consumers a sense of pride, because it signals their health and social consciousness. But the objections that vegan food is less palatable are also waning, as 52% agrees that plant-based alternatives taste as good as animal-based food products. In the chocolate industry, the biggest hurdle to making plant-based creations was the development of dairy-free milk-alike chocolate and white couvertures with the same great workability and versatility of use as its dairy counterpart. But thanks to the current solutions and technologies, there are now plant-based chocolate solutions for professionals available that allow for vegan creations without compromising on taste and texture, thus clearing the road for many new vegan chocolate product launches.
