Lindt to launch its first plant-based chocolate bar – but South Africa will have to wait

According to LiveKindly, a vegan lifestyle digital magazine, Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli is launching its first plant-based ‘milk’ chocolate this coming festive season. 

The chocolate bars will form part of the popular Hello range, with the dairy-free slabs available in three flavours: cookie, hazelnut, and salted caramel. These chocolate bars are made using oat milk to create a smooth texture. 

While local chocolate fans were thrilled at the promise of a rich and creamy chocolate bar derived from plant products only, there unfortunately isn’t good news for them. We reached out to Lindt South Africa for official comment and a representative had this to say: “As far as I am aware, we won’t be launching the vegan range any time soon in SA.”

Lindt also confirmed what we suspected all this time: South Africans are eating more chocolate under lockdown than ever before. Some sources indicate that chocolate consumption under lockdown has rivalled even the peaks of the chocolate season – the December holidays. And while each global market has a different taste profile, “South Africans prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate,” shared Lindt’s representative. 

In the meantime, those opting for non-dairy chocolate products can enjoy options such as: 

Lindt Excellent Dark 85%

CocoaFair 85% dark chocolate

The Chocolate Yogi Mylk Chocolate Cream 

Honest Chocolate Slab 70% Coconut Sugar

Afrikoa 55% – 80% chocolate slabs

De Villiers Orange Peel & Vanilla 70% dark chocolate