LOVO Reimagines Milk Chocolate With First Ever Plant-Based Milk Chocolate Line

Have you ever looked at chocolate bars (even in the fanciest, healthy grocery store) and thought “there’s no plant-based milk chocolate out there?” Well, that’s the exact same thought husband and wife duo, Simon Lester and Courtenay Vuchnich of Pascha Chocolate had. Pascha is a specialty chocolate with a focus on being allergy-free, organic, and vegan—but had no milk chocolate options—until now with the launch of their new company LOVO.

The plant-based milk chocolate company LOVO launches on today, March 6th, introducing the first and only line of milk chocolate bars using a variety of plant milks designed to match whatever flavor you’re craving that day.

With a long standing background in chocolate making, Lester and Vuchnich spent six years trying to create a vegan milk chocolate bar recipe that could hold up to traditional milk chocolate’s taste, texture, and irresistible appeal, but without any of the dairy downsides. The process wasn’t easy and it took lots of trial and error, but the power couple persisted with experiment after experiment.

“It was puzzling and frustrating to us. Initially we were using rice milk, which ended up creating a chocolate that was just okay. Rice milk didn’t bring any texture or flavor to the game and we knew that classic milk chocolate is all about that richness and flavor,” says Lester. “We kept brainstorming about what makes the plant milk category so strong and why there wasn’t a plant-based milk chocolate. And that’s when it hit us—why aren’t we using the plant based milk specifically as the base.”

Understanding that those who drink plant based milks are expecting oat milk to taste a little like oat and coconut milk to have a hint of coconut, they had their major light bulb moment and decided to play off those milks when creating the milk chocolate. To them it was a daring idea hiding in plain sight.

Lester, who started working for Cadbury in his early 20s, recounts that in his many years there, the category of chocolate was mainly milk chocolate. “Realizing now that those who avoid dairy whether it’s due to an allergy or just to be a little healthier can’t get that same experience. There’s no offering for them that really works,” says Lester. “We think this is a great step in the right direction. No one has created an entire line and range of milk chocolate bars using plant milks. Until now.”

When you think about how people consume chocolate, there’s something very distinct about the moment you pick up a milk chocolate bar. It’s a treat, it’s a special moment. Unlike its counterpart, dark chocolate where you might have a nibble or a bite and be satisfied or no longer need more.

“Dark chocolate is not moreish. Right? You will eat it and enjoy it, but you’ll maybe have one or two pieces. But when you go for milk chocolate, that creaminess draws you in and you’re more likely to eat the entire bar. It transcends through your childhood. It’s a soothing and beautiful moment,” says Vuchnich. “The way the customer uses milk chocolate is totally different to how dark chocolate is consumed.”

Giving people a choice to have a plant-based milk chocolate was their entire goal. LOVO is perfect for those who are making that daily decision to be a little healthier and looking to lower the amount of dairy they are consuming. They aren’t meant to replace traditional milk chocolate, but to be an additional option that can be brought into the homes of those who want a different kind of sweet treat. “So many households these days have refrigerators with more than one kind of milk in them, so it makes sense that they could be just as interested in a different kind of milk chocolate,” states Vuchnich.

Knowing that in order to get this right, they needed to find people who really knew their way around milk chocolate, so naturally they headed to Switzerland, the home of milk chocolate, to come up with the recipe.

“We were able to re-engineer the whole idea around the chocolate. Rather than using rice milk as a replacement, we were able to study and see 40% of households are using plant based milks, and they expect that taste of almond milk and cashew milk, so we don’t need to apologize if that taste comes through in the plant based version of milk chocolate. Let’s build it up based on the beauty of that taste,” shared Vuchnich of the thought process.

Focusing on the ratio of sugar and fat to chocolate to really be able to create the same silky delicious richness that chocolate lovers are looking for when they go for a milk chocolate. When compared to classic milk chocolate, the couple agree that their Oat Milk variety tastes the least like its plant-based milk, while the Coconut Milk and Hazelnut Milk are the closest when it comes to texture and creaminess.

Today, LOVO is officially available in Almond Milk, Hazelnut Milk, Oat Milk, and Coconut Milk varieties. These four ultra-creamy and delicious chocolate bars are made entirely of vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO ingredients, and are backed by Swiss chocolate making expertise. Sold direct-to-consumer via their website and Amazon in different variety packs to start, LOVO aims to make their way into stores when the time is right.

“Many of us can relate to a powerful love of milk chocolate and we hang on to that feeling throughout our entire life. We feel the same – we LOVE LOVO – and wanted to bring that love into the name,” says Vuchnich.