Why this chocolate bar is disappearing from our shelves

Vegan chocolate fans, brace yourselves: the vegan KitKat is no longer available in German supermarkets. The chocolate bar, which only hit the market in 2022, was quietly pulled from shelves, and now it’s official – Nestlé has discontinued its production.

High hopes & big disappointments?

When Nestlé introduced the vegan KitKat, there was a lot of excitement. The company proudly stated that the bar was “made for the global stage” and placed high expectations on its success. With the growing demand for plant-based diets, the vegan KitKat was meant to capture new audiences while contributing to Nestlé’s sustainability goals. But the reality didn’t live up to the vision: the product failed to establish itself in the market.

Why the vegan bar flopped

Despite the growing market for vegan products, vegan chocolate remains a niche category in Germany, holding just 1.6% of the market share. "Classic chocolate products dominate the bar segment and account for the largest revenue share. That’s why we’ve decided to stop offering KitKat Vegan," a company spokesperson explained. In such a small market, vegan products are often overrepresented, and the trust advantage of well-established classics is often missing – making it harder for newcomers to gain traction.

Setbacks Aside: The Future Looks Bright for Vegan Chocolate

But fear not: vegan chocolate lovers don’t have to go without! While sales slightly declined last year, experts predict significant growth for the vegan chocolate market in the coming years. In Germany, vegan chocolate is mainly produced by smaller, specialized companies, but major players like Ferrero are also recognizing the trend –the company recently launched a vegan version of Nutella, showing that plant-based chocolate is here to stay.