Cadbury to launch vegan Dairy Milk alternative called Plant Bar | Cadbury

It is Dairy Milk but without the dairy. A plant-based version of Cadbury’s classic bar is to go on sale in the UK next month as part of a drive by major food companies to expand their vegan ranges.

The company, which used to make much of the “glass and a half” of milk in every bar, is using almond paste in the Cadbury Plant Bar, which has taken two years to develop. It said the new recipe “provides a similar taste and texture to milk ingredients while offering a hint of nuttiness”.

Two flavours will be available, smooth chocolate and smooth chocolate with salted caramel pieces, and will come in 100% plant-based packaging from renewable sources. They will go on sale in Sainsbury’s in November and at other retailers from the start of next year at a recommended price of £2.50 for a 90g bar – more than double the price of a standard Dairy Milk bar.

The launch is part of a growing trend for vegan products driven by consumers’ desire for healthier, more environmentally friendly options.

The Vegan Society recently found that one in five people had reduced the amount of meat they were eating since the start of the Covid pandemic, and one in 10 had minimised their egg and dairy intake. In January, its Veganuary campaign attracted more than half a million signups around the world, and it said 825 new products and menus were launched during the month.

Louise Stigant, the UK managing director of Cadbury’s owner, Mondelēz International, said: “With 500,000 participants in this year’s Veganuary … the increasing public appetite for varied snacking options and plant-based alternatives has never been more apparent. 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 restaurant chain Wagamama said on Wednesday that half of its menu was now plant-based after it added new vegan options for customers.

Among the new dishes are a spicy vegan “short rib” ramen using mushroom and soya, a jackfruit option and several based on a chicken alternative that it said “mirrors the taste and texture of pulled chicken”.