Toll House Just Made it Easier to Bake With Dairy-Free Ingredients

Toll House is a brand that most Americans grew up with, and now, as more consumers are looking for plant-based, dairy-free and vegan or sustainable options, Toll House just made life easier by introducing a dairy-free chocolate morsel. That means that anyone who wants to bake without animal products or milk or dairy (due to allergies, preferances or for health or ethical reasons) now it's easier than ever.

A new report from Kroger has found that Americans are trying to eat more plant-based foods. With an estimated $7.4 billion in plant-based foods sales in the most recent year the data is available, dairy-free or vegan chocolate morsels is a really good idea.  Nestle –– the world's biggest food company –– which owns Toll House, is also expanding its plant-based offerings in other areas, including meat alternatives, non-dairy milks and cheeses made from plant-based foods and new innovative products that kids will love, that are better for the planet and our health. That's why it makes sense that beloved Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels now come in a plant-based formula.

“Plant-based, especially for those that are trying to avoid dairy, can be one of those places where you feel like you have to compromise,” said Nestlé USA’s chief strategy officer Melissa Cash. “You think about chocolate chips and indulgence — that’s a place that you don’t want to compromise. So we’re looking to innovate in that plant-based space … to really push out plant-based morsels.”

In the United States, Nestle plans to launch the Toll House plant-based morsels in early 2023. The company initially released a plant-based chocolate morsel in 2018, but according to Axios, Nestle's brand-new plant-based chocolate will use more innovative ingredients. The original morsels included semi-sweet, white chocolate, and dark chocolate flavors.

“Nestlé Toll House plant-based morsels will be a brand-new product within the Toll House portfolio,” Nestlé said in a statement. “As we continue to look to innovate in the plant-based category, baking is an area we’re excited to explore.”

Nestle's vegan future will include Toll House chocolate, along with new vegan foie gras and plant-based egg selections.

Nestle's New Vegan Foie Gras

Beginning on November 28, Nestle will unveil its innovative vegan fois gras under its Garden Gourmet line. This plant-based brand currently provides an extensive selection of plant-based burgers, chorizo, chicken, and more to European consumers, and now, Nestle's new "Voie Gras" will provide a convincing alternative to the traditional food made from duck and geese livers.

“We are particularly proud of this unique product, which marks the strategic expansion of Garden Gourmet’s vegetable offering and the creativity of our teams,” Melanie Stebler, Marketing Manager of Garden Gourmet, said in a statement. “Furthermore, we are delighted that Switzerland is one of the first two markets where this innovation is launched.”

Nestle developed the Voie Gras over six months thanks to a team of 300 plant-based food innovators working at Nestle's Research Center in Lausanne. To create vegan foie gras, the research and culinary teams created a blend of vegetables, miso paste, sea salt, and struggle oil to replicate the taste and nutritional profile of conventional foie gras.

“For the well-being of animals and out of conviction, we have given up selling foie gras for 20 years,” Stutz said in a statement. “Voie Gras offers an ideal alternative and we are delighted to be the only Swiss retailer to be able to offer this product exclusively on our shelves during the Christmas period this year.”

The Voie Gras will be available initially at Coop stores in Switzerland and Spain. Shoppers can purchase this limited-edition meat alternative for CHF 7.35 ($8.37) at 140 stores. This alternative will give consumers a chance to buy a more affordable and sustainable version of conventional foie gras. Switzerland currently imports about 200 metric tons of foie gras per year, but sales have gradually decreased as consumers have learned about the product's cruel manufacturing process.

More Plant-Based Egg Options

Nestle released the Garden Gourmet vEGGie last year, debuting its first plant-based liquid egg alternative made from soy protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But now, Nestle plans to test its first soy-based powdered egg product in Latin America under its Mahler brand.

“Egg is one of the most widely used protein sources. With this unique solution, we wanted to provide an affordable, nutritious solution that could be used to replace some of the eggs when cooking egg-based dishes,” Torsten Pohl, Head of Nestlé’s Product and Technology Center for Food, said in a statement. “The plant-based dry mix also brings an equivalent amount of quality protein, less cholesterol, while ensuring a good taste and texture.”

The egg alternative is iron-fortified and shelf-stable, providing shoppers with a nutrition-packed and affordable plant-based alternative. The vegan egg provides an equal amount of protein with less cholesterol and saturated fats than conventional eggs.

Nestle's Growing Vegan Enterprise

Nestle is attempting to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and it intends to complete this goal with plant-based or cultivated development. For example, Nestle recently partnered with Perfect Day to begin introducing cultivated whey protein made by precision fermentation to its previously dairy-based products., Nestle aims to transform its product portfolio and alleviate its dependency on dairy farming.

This August, Nestle also partnered with the vegan burger concept Nomoo, helping the fast-food restaurant create a fully vegan menu. The partnership will soon help the new vegan storefront expand nationwide, becoming one of America's first fully vegan national fast-food chains.

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