KitKat is asking fans to help find their stolen candy with ingenious new invention
This is not a stunt or an April Fool’s Joke.
KitKat confirmed that 12 tons of their beloved wafer chocolates were stolen while in transit from the factory. That’s 413,793 KitKats making ‘breaking’ news.
‘We’ve always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat – but it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 metric tons of our chocolate,’ the company said in a statement.
‘We are working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate,’ KitKat added. ‘The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety, and supply is not affected.’
The good news is that the missing chocolate bars are completely traceable via a unique batch code. Now, the company is asking for fans’ help in what customers are calling ‘the great KitKat heist.’
Customers, retailers and wholesalers can type the eight-digit batch number, located on the back of the wrapper, into the official ‘stolen KitKat tracker.’
If the number comes from an un-stolen batch, fans receive a message reading, ‘This KitKat wasn´t stolen – keep searching and help us widen the search by sharing.’
If a match is found through this method, though, the scanner will be given instructions on how to alert the company, who will then share the evidence with the appropriate channels.
A look at the Stolen KitKat tracker, available on the company’s website
KitKat is one of Nestle’s biggest products along with Toll House and Smarties
The biggest fear, the company said, is that the missing candy bars could enter unofficial sales channels across European markets.
With the heist falling so close to April Fool’s Day, some social media users questioned whether or not this was a ‘PR Stunt’ by KitKat. On X, the brand repeatedly confirmed that thousands of chocolate bars truly disappeared.
‘Unfortunately, it really happened,’ KitKat wrote. ‘An actual truckload of KitKats from a new range went missing during transit last week. We’re on the case with the authorities for this.’
One fan shared that they’ll be, ‘checking every KitKat I buy like it’s a Golden Ticket now,’ referencing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
‘I think it was the Easter bunny,’ another X user wrote.
Other major retailers chimed in, sharing their condolences and as well as a few jokes.
‘We would like to share our thoughts and condolences with Kit Kat following their sad news,’ Domino’s Pizza UK posted on X. ‘On a completely unrelated note, we’re pleased to announce we’ll now be selling a new KitKat pizza.’
In the comments they quickly added, ‘for legal reasons, this is a joke.’
KitKat confirmed that their stolen candy is not an April Fool’s Day joke or ‘PR stunt’
This wouldn’t be the first time KitKat was at the center of a great candy heist. The Daily Mail previously reported that in 2023, over $200,000-worth of chocolate bars were held hostage by bandits.
KitKat is owned and manufactured by Nestle, the same company behind Smarties, Crunch and Toll House cookie dough.
Meanwhile, the Mars-own chocolate M&Ms introduced three limited-edition, bakery-inspired flavors to its lineup.
That’s Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll, Cherry Chocolate Cupcake and Lemon Meringue Pie, which customers are encouraged to sample and vote for their favorite.
