NESTLE PLANS PLANT-BASED KITKAT BARS IN 2021

Nestle SA is adding its first vegan milk chocolate to its products as the world's biggest food company expands beyond meat alternatives. The Swiss food giant will start offering plant-based KitKat bars this year, called KitKat V, according to Alexander von Maillot, head of Nestle's confectionery business. The product will be for sale online and at selected stores in a handful of markets including the U.K. as a test run before a possible wider rollout. The bar, which uses a rice-based formula as a milk substitute, took about two years to develop. The main challenge in making alternatives to milk chocolate is ensuring it blends well with cocoa and sugar for a creamy texture. Other substitutes, such as soy or almond formulas, can create off-notes, von Maillot said.