Nestlé, the creators of the beloved KitKat chocolate bar, has announced the discontinuation of its KitKat Dark Mint flavor, much to the dismay of many chocolate lovers. However, the company has softened the blow by introducing two new flavors: KitKat Chunky Funky and KitKat Chunky Duo Salted Caramel. The KitKat Chunky Funky features a crispy cocoa wafer wrapped in swirls of milk and white chocolate coating, while the KitKat Chunky Duo Salted Caramel combines the classic KitKat wafer with a salted caramel filling.
To celebrate the iconic chocolate bar, here are ten fascinating facts about KitKat and its history. The first fact is that the York-based chocolate factory was founded in 1862 by Quaker Henry Isaac Rowntree, who bought out the Tuke family’s business. The factory has since undergone several name changes and owners, including Joseph Rowntree and Co, Rowntree Mackintosh, and most recently, Nestlé.
The second fact is that the idea for the KitKat bar was born out of a staff suggestion box, where an employee proposed a chocolate bar that a man could take to work in his pack-up. This led to the creation of the four-finger Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp, which was originally sold in London and the South East for 2d. The name “KitKat” was added to the pack in 1937, along with the idea of the KitKat “break,” which was introduced in advertising.
Other interesting facts about KitKat include its historical roots, with the name “Kit Kat” originating from a 17th-century literary and political club that met in a pie shop. During World War II, the Haxby Road site was converted into a munitions factory. In the 1960s, Rowntree’s merged with Mackintosh’s, and the company was taken over by Nestlé in 1988.
Today, the York site employs around 2,000 people and produces a range of Nestlé products, including Aero, Milkybar, and Polo. The company has invested £22 million in the Haxby Road site in recent years, including a new two-finger packing line that has boosted production capacity by 20%. KitKat has also gained a cult following in Japan, where a KitKat boutique sells quirky flavors such as Pickled Plum and Bubblegum. With its rich history and continued innovation, KitKat remains one of the nation’s favorite chocolate bars.