Is Nutella Vegan?
Contains skim milk powder.
Contains or is derived from animal products.
Detailed answer
No. Nutella is not vegan. Ferrero's standard recipe includes skim milk powder and whey powder as primary ingredients alongside sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, and cocoa. Vegan hazelnut spreads with similar flavor exist from many brands.
Nutella verdict at a glance
- Vegan status
- Not vegan
- Main animal ingredients
- Skim milk powder, whey powder
- Other notable ingredients
- Sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, lecithin, vanillin
- Vegan alternatives
- Many supermarket and specialty hazelnut spreads
- Confidence
- High — dairy is listed on every standard Nutella label
The verdict on Nutella
Nutella is not vegan. Ferrero lists skim milk powder and whey powder in the standard global recipe, which makes the product unsuitable for anyone avoiding dairy. This is not a hidden or trace ingredient situation: milk derivatives are core to Nutella's formulation and appear prominently on the label. No mainstream Nutella variant is marketed as vegan, and the product should be treated as clearly non-vegan without needing to contact the manufacturer.
Standard Nutella ingredients (typical global list)
- Sugar
- Palm oil
- Hazelnuts (13%)
- Skim milk powder (8.7%)
- Fat-reduced cocoa powder
- Emulsifier: lecithins (usually soy)
- Vanillin
- Whey powder (may appear in some regional lists)
Non-vegan and problematic ingredients
- Skim milk powder — dried dairy protein and lactose; definitively not vegan
- Whey powder — liquid dairy byproduct from cheese making; not vegan
- Palm oil — plant-derived but raises separate environmental concerns
- Sugar — bone char filtering may apply to some supply chains; not disclosed on label
- Lecithin — usually soy and vegan in Nutella, but listed without source
- Vanillin — typically synthetic and vegan; not the issue here
Why Nutella contains dairy
Nutella was developed as a sweetened hazelnut and cocoa spread with a creamy, milk-chocolate-like texture. Skim milk powder adds protein, browning, and a familiar dairy sweetness that plain nut-and-cocoa blends lack. Whey contributes additional dairy solids and helps with emulsification and shelf stability. Ferrero has not offered a dairy-free Nutella in most markets, though competitors have filled that gap with explicitly vegan hazelnut spreads.
Nutella vs typical vegan hazelnut spread
| Nutella | Vegan hazelnut spread | |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy | Skim milk powder, whey | None |
| Vegan? | No | Yes (when labeled) |
| Main fat | Palm oil | Often palm, sunflower, or rapeseed oil |
| Hazelnut content | About 13% | Varies by brand (often 30% or more in premium lines) |
| Label check | Milk always listed | Confirm no milk, whey, or honey |
Country and product variations
- Ingredient order and percentages can shift slightly by country due to labeling rules
- Nutella B-ready, Nutella biscuits, and Nutella-filled products add eggs, butter, or more dairy — check each item
- Mini cups and snack formats use the same core spread but may sit alongside non-vegan baked goods
- No widely sold Ferrero Nutella SKU is vegan as of standard retail formulations
Vegan alternatives to Nutella
- Supermarket own-brand vegan hazelnut and cocoa spreads (often labeled vegan)
- Vego Hazelnut Crunchy Spread — explicitly vegan
- Meridian Cocoa and Hazelnut Butter — typically dairy-free; confirm label
- Homemade blend of hazelnut butter, cocoa powder, and maple syrup or powdered sugar
- Brands such as Plamil, Nature's Store, and regional vegan spreads
- Nutella-style products from health food stores marked with vegan certification
Related products
- Oreo — sometimes considered vegan by ingredients; different product category
- Lotus Biscoff spread — separate recipe from cookies; check spread label
- Dark chocolate hazelnut bars — often contain milk; verify each brand
- Peanut butter and chocolate spreads — many are vegan; some add milk powder
How to choose a vegan hazelnut spread
- Scan for skim milk powder, whey, milk fat, butterfat, casein, or lactose.
- Prefer products with a vegan label or certification when available.
- Check palm oil and sugar sourcing separately if those matter to you.
- Compare hazelnut percentage if you want a less-sweet, nut-forward spread.
- Paste the ingredient list into the Product Checker if you are unsure about a new brand.
Comparing hazelnut spreads at the store? Check ingredients against vegan rules
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nutella vegan?
- No. Nutella contains skim milk powder and whey powder, both dairy ingredients.
- Does Nutella contain dairy?
- Yes. Skim milk powder is a primary ingredient, and whey powder appears in many regional formulations.
- Is there a vegan Nutella?
- Ferrero does not sell a vegan Nutella in most markets. Many other brands make dairy-free hazelnut cocoa spreads.
- Is Nutella vegetarian?
- Yes. Nutella contains dairy but not meat, fish, or gelatin, so it suits lacto-vegetarian diets but not vegan ones.
- What is whey powder in Nutella?
- Whey is the liquid left after milk is curdled for cheese. Dried whey adds dairy solids and flavor. It is not vegan.
- Is Nutella palm oil vegan?
- Palm oil is plant-derived and technically vegan, but Nutella is still not vegan overall because of milk ingredients.
- Are Nutella biscuits vegan?
- No. Nutella-branded biscuits and baked snacks typically contain wheat, dairy, and sometimes egg. Check each product separately.
- What is the best vegan Nutella alternative?
- There is no single best option. Look for spreads labeled vegan with hazelnuts, cocoa, and no milk or whey. Supermarket own-brand vegan spreads are often the most affordable.
Evidence
Last verified August 2026
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Checked by Is This Vegan? · August 2026