Panda Liquorice is launching a vegan chocolate-coated licorice product, available in health food stores starting in September. 

The soft licorice bites are covered in vegan-friendly, Rainforest Alliance-certified chocolate and are made with natural flavors. The licorice under the chocolate coating is made with four ingredients.

Panda is known for its slow traditional cooking methods and has been producing licorice since 1927 at its factory in Jyvaskyla, Finland. 

“It’s an exciting first for Panda innovating in a chocolate licorice product," said Lisa Gawthorne, director at Bravura Foods, which distributes the brand in the UK. "The new product is made with rice milk, making it suitable for the vegan market and it’s a real novelty as a lot of chocolate-coated products aren’t necessarily vegan-friendly.”

The product will launch initially online with Holland and Barrett and the health food sector in 110 g at a price of £2.99.