The New Kid on the Block: Vegan Milk Chocolate

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Mylk, You Ask...

Milk chocolate. With a name like that, it couldn’t possibly be vegan. But how about mylk chocolate, as it’s sometimes dubbed? If you’re one of the 1.5 million vegans in the UK, or simply a curious dairy-alternative dabbler, there’s good news: plant-based alternatives have landed on the craft chocolate scene.

The plant-based milk industry is booming and, with around a quarter of people opting for these non-dairy alternatives in their morning coffee, chocolate makers are beginning to chase this lacto-free glory.

We often parallel the craft chocolate movement to the specialty coffee scene. A selection of oat, soy, almond, and rice milks are now a given, chalked up onto the menu board of any self-respecting indie coffee shop.

Although the wonderful world of craft chocolate is several years behind specialty coffee, we are making up ground. Chocolate bars are seeing the introduction of milk alternatives, meaning ‘milk’ (or mylk!) chocolate bars, suitable for vegans, will soon be more widely available.

How is Vegan Milk Chocolate Made

Craft chocolate has a lot in common with the recent specialty coffee movement. After an incredible boom in dairy milk alternatives, no hip coffee joint nowadays could contemplate an oat or soy milk shortage.

The craft chocolate industry is a couple of steps behind; it’s only just recently that producers have started experimenting with plant-based milk in their chocolate. Coconut milk or oat milk often replaces the usual cow, sheep or goat, working brilliantly alongside the cocoa.

There aren’t any great differences in how you craft milk or vegan milk chocolate bars. In both cases the maker will add dried milk or dried coconut milk when they’ve ground the beans and are starting the conching process.

Are There More Vegan Bars Available?

Most definitely. But remember, the Vegan certification is not a good indicator. Many of the best craft chocolate makers aren’t certified and the certification on supermarket brands doesn’t mean that they are any good for you or taste good!

With vegan milk chocolate, craft is the way to go. There are a host of great makers to explore, from Marou in Vietnam and Raaka in the USA to Forever Cacao, Solkiki, and Chocolate Tree based here in the UK.

If in doubt about the vegan-ness of any bar, it’s always a good idea to check the ingredients (with careful scrutiny). And if it’s one of ours, but you’re still unsure, feel free to get in touch!