Cadbury is launching its first vegan chocolate bar

It will be available in two flavours – smooth chocolate and smooth chocolate with salted caramel pieces

Cadbury announces launch of its first vegan chocolate bar (Cadbury/Mondelez)

Cadbury has announced the launch of its first vegan chocolate bar, with two different flavours to choose from.

The new plant-based offering takes inspiration from Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, which is one of the most popular chocolate bars in the UK.

Arriving in Sainsbury’s stores from November, Cadbury’s Plant Bar is the product of two years of development.

The chocolate maker said it has retained the creamy taste of its original Dairy Milk bars by substituting milk for almond paste.

Cadbury said the paste provides a similar taste and texture to milk while adding a hint of nuttiness.

The bars, which have been approved by The Vegan Society, will be available in two flavours: smooth chocolate and smooth chocolate with salted caramel pieces.

Louise Stigant, UK managing director of Mondelēz International, Cadbury’s parent company, said the Plant Bar had been created in response to an “increasing public appetite for plant-based alternatives”.

She continued: “At Mondelēz, evolving consumer demands have long informed our ambition to provide a wide range of products that work for everyone and the new Cadbury Plant Bar range is the latest stop on this journey.”

The news comes after more than 500,000 people took part in Veganuary this year.

Additionally, research published by the Vegan Society in May 2021 revealed that more than one in ten people in the UK minimised their consumption of dairy during the pandemic.

Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 43 per cent of respondents who cut down on dairy said they had tried a plant-based milk for the first time. Of those who tried oat milk, 69 per cent said they plan to keep buying it.

Ericka Durgahee, a marketing manager at the Vegan Society, said: “As we approach World Vegan Day on 1^st November, the Vegan Society is thrilled that anyone who misses Cadbury chocolate as a vegan can now enjoy their favourite delicious chocolate bar without the use of animal products.

“We know how hard Mondelez has worked to bring this bar to life and give more options to everyone. We look forward to trying them when they launch!”

The Plant Bar, which retails for £2.50, will launch in Sainsbury’s stores in November and will be rolled out to other retailers from January 2022.