Cadbury is developing a vegan Dairy Milk bar

But the launch date is still under wraps

(Getty Images)

Cadbury has confirmed it is working on developing a vegan Dairy Milk bar that would be suitable for people who follow plant-based diets, but unfortunately it won’t be available anytime soon.

Mondelez, which owns the British chocolate brand, confirmed to The Independent that an increasing demand for non-dairy alternatives has pushed them to look at a new version of the bestseller.

However they haven’t yet nailed the recipe so are holding back on a launch date.

A spokesperson said: “We’re always listening to our consumers, so we can develop and provide people with a greater choice of products.

"This includes looking at a plant-based Cadbury Dairy Milk bar however, we have no immediate plans to launch a new product in market [sic].

It is understood the testing has been happening for around two years with the brand trying to find ingredients that can substitute dairy and be suitable for customers with nut allergies.

“We are only interested in launching a new vegan product that retains the texture and taste that our consumers expect and love from Cadbury products," the spokesperson added.

Founded in Birmingham in 1824 by John Cadbury, the brand made its first bar of Dairy Milk in 1905.

It quickly became famous for its purple wrapper and “glass and a half” slogan and 110 years later Dairy Milk is still Cadbury's most popular product.

In 2019 they introduced a version with 30 per cent less sugar to keep up with demand for healthier alternatives.

The sugar content was reduced from 56g per 100g in the original bar to 39g per 100g in the new version. Mondelez described the new bar as the "most significant innovation in the brand's history".

"We've recognised that there is an increasing trend for people wanting to manage their sugar intake and that's why we have worked tirelessly to create a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar with 30 per cent less sugar, which stills tastes great,” Katrina Davison, Cadbury brand manager, said.

Other food brands have found great success with vegan alternatives; Greggs vegan sausage roll drove a 58 per cent rise in profits in the six months to June last year.

In January the high-street bakery annouced they were sharing out the £7m windfall to 25,000 staff after a "phenomenal year" - each Gregg's employee was on track to recieve a bonus of £300.