KitKat Vegan gets nationwide launch as trials begin in Australia for recyclable packaging

A sell-out when it launched as a limited edition in 2021, KitKat Vegan is back for good - and available in all major retailers as a single 41.5g 4-Finger bar. The plant-based break is made with a rice-based milk alternative to create an indulgent-tasting vegan chocolate and crispy wafer combo.

The news comes during ‘Veganuary’ and is part of a raft of exciting new products for the brand. Among the highlights soon to hit supermarket shelves are 2 and 4-Finger flavours, and the launch of KitKat Bites and a limited-edition KitKat Chunky White with Lotus Biscoff.

Callum Smith, KitKat assistant brand manager said: “We all need a pick-me-up at this time of year, and KitKat is the go-to for so many of us when we want to enjoy a delicious break at any time of day. In fact, here at Nestlé HQ, we believe the only thing better than our crisp, chocolate-covered wafer fingers is more choice than ever before!​

“That’s why we are delighted to introduce new and revamped flavours across our range of products. Whether it’s a 2-Finger KitKat Caramel with a cup of tea or coffee mid-afternoon, or KitKat Bites and a boxset on a cold winter evening, there is something for everyone to enjoy. We predict 2023 will be the best year for breaks yet!”​

Sustainable, alternative packaging

Nestlé’s factory in York is the home of KitKat and produces five million bars a day and is  also where the technology has been developed to use more sustainable, alternative packaging.

In a trial run, the recyclable paper packaging will be available for a limited time for its four-finger bar in Australia, across Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory.

Nestlé will produce more than a quarter of a million KitKat bars wrapped in paper in an exclusive partnership with Coles, a local retailer. The pack has a QR code that people can scan to have their say and give valuable feedback on the new paper packaging.

Louise Barrett, Head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre in York, said: "We are exploring different types of alternative packaging solutions for our confectionary products. For KitKat, the challenge was to find the right paper packaging solution with a high level of barrier properties to adequately protect the chocolate. We had to maintain the perfect balance between the iconic crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love, whilst at the same time ensuring the packaging is recyclable in the paper stream​."

The paper packaging pilot for KitKat is another positive step in Nestle's commitment to use innovation to meet its packaging commitments, the company said. Nestlé has set a goal to reduce the use of virgin plastics by a third by 2025, which includes using less plastic, recycled plastic, and alternatives to plastic packaging. Other recent innovations are Smarties, which introduced recyclable paper packaging for all its confectionery products globally in 2021 and Quality Street, which introduced recyclable paper wrappers in 2022.

All KitKat products produced in the UK and Ireland are also made with 100% certified sustainable cocoa.