Vegan KitKat now available at Coles – but foodies suspicious over ingredients

The vegan KitKat is back – but the ingredient list on the back has raised eyebrows

  • KitKat Plant Based has been relaunched at Coles Online
  • Foodies note that ingredients say it ‘may contain milk’

Foodies have questioned whether the vegan KitKat is “actually” plant-based after noticing the word “milk” among the ingredients on the back of the package.

Popular foodie and chemical engineer Russ pointed out the “suss” text on the back of the pack after trying the newly launched snack.

“I didn’t write the vegan book, but milk isn’t vegan,” he said in a TikTok clamp.

Russ had thought milk was in the ingredient list, but corrected himself when he realized the package warned that the plant-based KitKat “may contain traces of milk” and apologized for the confusion.

The popular content creator had bought the bar to see if it “stacks up to the original.”

He scored it a 7.5/10 – noting that it should be compared to the dark chocolate KitKat rather than the original.

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Dairy-free foodies rejoice at KitKat Plant Based re-release, but fans have spotted a ‘suss’ detail on the packaging

Food blogger Russ Eats (pictured) rated the sweet snack with a score of seven and a half out of 10, but noticed a ‘suss’ mention of milk on the back of the pack

“It says ‘may contain’ on the same line as ‘contain’ and milk is under the MAY contain section,” he clarified in the clip’s comments.

What does it mean when a food package says ‘May contain’?

Some food labels use statements such as “may contain” or “may contain” to indicate the possible unintended presence of allergens that occur during food production, such as “may contain milk.”

This is also known as preventive allergen labeling (PAL).

These are voluntary statements from food suppliers and the Food Standards Code does not regulate them

Source: Food Standards

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand says labels often list possible traces of allergens, such as milk, wheat and eggs, that may be inadvertently present during the manufacturing process.

Although KitKat Plant Based does not contain any dairy in the ingredients, trace amounts may be present as it is produced in the same factory as foods that do.

Non-dairy aficionados could breathe a sigh of relief after Russ’ correction and were eager to try the limited edition snack for themselves.

Russ said the vegan KitKat had a dark chocolate coating and was “nothing like” the original, but he tried to compare them anyway in his review.

“I can’t compare them — if you go into it with the mindset that the vegan KitKat will be just like the normal one, you’re going to be very disappointed,” he said.

Russ said he should have compared the plant-based version to the dark chocolate KitKat, but he enjoyed it anyway.

‘It’s pretty good. Seven and a half out of 10. I don’t really mind, but it’s not a normal KitKat,” he said.

Many have been excited about the return of the vegan KitKat, which has been discontinued in Australia since February 2021.

“I can give my son with a dairy allergy a KitKat. Today is a good day,” said one mother.

Russ said he should have compared the plant-based version to the dark chocolate KitKat, but he enjoyed it anyway, saying it was “pretty good”

“If I ever see this one I will buy whatever is on the shelf,” one customer wrote.

Nestlé Head of Marketing Confectionery, Melanie Chen, said KitKat Plant Based was one of the company’s most requested products.

“We have noticed that there is a lot of demand on our socials for the return of KitKat Plant Based. This tasty treat is making an exciting return to our KitKat range in Australia for a short period of time,” she said.

“We can’t wait to give people more opportunities and ways to enjoy their favorite break with a vegan milk alternative, with the classic KitKat snap they know and love.”

The limited-edition KitKat Plant Based is available in a four-finger wafer bar for $3, exclusively at Coles stores nationwide and KitKat Chocolatory online while supplies last.

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