The hipsters now have a vegan KitKat. Swiss food giant Nestle is launching a plant-based KitKat in 15 European countries on Friday, in what could either be seen as a welcome diversification of the confectionary market, or as the end of days for chocolate purists. But with some four in 10 European consumers reportedly interested in moving to a more plant-based diet, vegan chocolate could be the next big thing in sweet treats, Bloomberg reports. The vegan chocolate market is expected to grow to USD 1.4 bn in 10 years, more than doubling from its current value of USD 533 mn. KitKat V will be pricier than its non-vegan version, but Nestle is already rolling out 300 tons of it.

The main challenge? Getting a KitKat V to actually taste like a KitKat: KitKat V uses a rice-based formula as a milk substitute, after Nestle sampled various non-dairy alternatives including oats, soy and almond. But replicating the distinctive creamy texture of a KitKat without dairy is no mean feat — despite what the rice and oat milk evangelists might claim. “It’s super challenging,” the head of Nestle’s Confectionery Product Technology Center tells Bloomberg.

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