Chocolate-lovers now have a vegan alternative to the popular Cadbury Dairy Milk bar. Known as the Cadbury Plant Bar, the company's first vegan chocolate bar is being rolled out in the United Kingdom this year. Two flavors of Plant Bar will be sold in shops next to regular candy products, so consumers can easily grab a non-dairy option to satisfy a sweet craving.

Not Just Any Vegan Chocolate Bar

Consumer demand is growing for vegan foods. In the United States alone, sales of plant-based foods that directly replace animal products have grown 27% in the past year to $7 billion.

The Cadbury Plant Bar does double-duty. It provides an option to those who choose not to consume animal products. It also reimagines the beloved Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar so those with dietary preferences can enjoy the classic treat.

Dairy Milk is the world's favorite chocolate bar. According to an analysis of global search volumes for chocolate, it ranks first in 78 countries. Fans of Dairy Milk have been waiting so long for a vegan option, Cadbury launched the Plant Bar with an apology for the delay in getting the product to market.

How Does Cadbury's Vegan Chocolate Bar Compare to Dairy Milk?

Replicating Dairy Milk without milk isn't an easy task. The original Dairy Milk bar was created to contain more liquid milk than any other chocolate bar: a glass and a half (426 milliliters per 227 grams), to be exact. It's this creaminess that makes Dairy Milk so popular, but it also prevents vegans from eating it.

Working out of the company's Global Centre of Excellence for Chocolate Research and Development, Cadbury took two years to perfect the Plant Bar. Its secret? The chocolate contains sustainably sourced cocoa and uses almond paste instead of milk to recreate the smoothness of Dairy Milk. Almond paste has a similar texture and taste to milk and adds a touch of nutty goodness.

Each Plant Bar is wrapped in 100% plant-based packaging. The bars are labeled with the Vegan Trademark, demonstrating they meet the standards of the Vegan Society with respect to animal ingredients, testing, GMOs and production.

Consumers can choose from two flavors:

• Smooth Chocolate for a straight-up, velvety bar similar to Dairy Milk

• Smooth Chocolate with Salted Caramel pieces for a little crunch