This hasn’t stopped Nestlé from trying again, which is why vegans around the world can rejoice that it is releasing the KitKat V, per Fortune, the non-dairy version of the beloved wafer-and-chocolate bar that is so popular it is an indispensable part of Japanese pop culture, per Bokksu.
The vegan version of the iconic KitKat bar isn’t an exact dupe of its dairy-based sibling. A writer for the Daily Mail who taste tested the bar when it was first released in the UK said while KitKat V’s wafer was almost identical to the one found in its dairy cousin, “the chocolate is less sweet and has a slightly more dull flavour than the real deal, which may be down to having less sugar at (14.2g per four fingers rather than 20.5g).” The writer adds that the bar is creamier and has a different texture, which may be down to how Nestlé decided to reinvent the iconic bar.
The head of Nestlé’s Confectionery Product Technology Center, Louise Barrett, tells Bloomberg that the company experimented with different types of milk from oats to soy and almond before deciding on rice milk. “It’s super challenging. Our R&D experts have worked to make it as close as possible,” Barrett says. In all, the candy bar took two years to go from drawing board to execution.