Dive Brief:
- Lindt Lindor launched a plant-based version of its popular truffles using oatmilk. The confections come in OatMilk and Dark Chocolate OatMilk.
- The truffles contain a smooth melting center with an outer shell with oat milk chocolate.
- The offerings are the second plant-based product in the Lindt collection following the 2022 launch of its Non-Dairy OatMilk Bars.
Dive Insight:
While plant-based foods have struggled recently, plant-based chocolate remains a fast-growing segment. The global vegan chocolate market is forecast to more than double to $3.3 billion by the end of 2030, a compound annual growth rate of 12.4%, according to Persistence Market Research. It’s a big reason why confectioners are providing consumers with plant-based offerings that complement their traditional ones made with milk.
The challenge, however, is replicating the animal-based version with the same taste and texture as the original. A 2021 survey by chocolate ingredients giant Barry Callebaut found that while six in 10 consumers ages 18 to 44 expect each food brand to have plant-based options, only 45% of them were satisfied with current plant-based chocolate offerings. “Our Lindt LINDOR OatMilk truffles offer the same luxurious, smooth melting chocolate experience with this exquisitely crafted premium oat milk recipe,” said Ann Czaja, Lindt’s master chocolatier.
The new oatmilk truffles are the latest plant-based versions to reach the market. Mars was the first large mainstream confectionery brand in the space with a vegan version of its Galaxy bar that launched in the U.K. in late 2019. Hershey introduced Reese’s and its iconic bar made with oats in March 2023. And Nestlé, which makes KitKats in most countries except the U.S., has a plant-based version of the wafer-coated candy.
