UK Edition
Cadbury owner Mondelēz trials new plant-based Dairy Milk chocolate
Consumer food groups are fighting to keep up with changing tastes and demand for vegan products
Cadbury owner Mondelēz is developing a plant-based version of its classic Dairy Milk chocolate amid soaring demand for vegan alternatives.
The consumer goods group, which also owns Toblerone and Philadelphia cream cheese, is understood to have been testing the recipe for milk-free Dairy Milk for around two years.
Mondelēz has already been forced to delay the launch of the product, which was initially planned for January to tie in with “Veganuary”, as it grapples with finding a dairy substitute which is also suitable for consumers with nut allergies.
Cadbury made the first bar of Dairy Milk at its factory in Birmingham in 1905. Famous for its distinctive purple wrapper and “glass and a half” slogan, it quickly became its best-selling product and has remained Cadbury’s most popular brand.
However consumer food groups such as Mondelēz, Unilever and Nestle are fighting to keep up with changing tastes and demand for more sustainable and environmentally friendly products.
According to industry data from analysts IRI, Cadbury Dairy Milk suffered a 4.2pc drop in sales in 2017, equivalent to £19.9m.
A spokesman for Mondelēz 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 to market.
“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.”