The culprits behind the theft of a massive haul of KitKat bars have managed to evade capture thus far. Nestlé, the renowned European chocolate giant, has reassured consumers that despite the audacious heist, there will still be an ample supply of KitKats available for Easter festivities.
Nestlé revealed that a staggering 12 tonnes of KitKat products were stolen while en route from their factory in Central Italy to their intended destination in Poland. The incident was confirmed via an official statement on KitKat’s X account this past Sunday.
“We are actively collaborating with local authorities and our supply chain partners to get to the bottom of this theft,” the statement read. “Fortunately, this event poses no risk to consumer safety, and our supply chain remains unaffected. We appreciate your understanding.”
This bold theft has captured public attention, sparking widespread interest online. The official KitKat announcement alone has amassed 87 million views and has been shared tens of thousands of times, turning the incident into a viral talking point.
One humorous response to the news referenced a famous anti-piracy campaign, joking, “You wouldn’t steal 12T of KitKats…”
One reply brought up the old anti-music piracy ad campaign: ‘You wouldn’t steal 12T of Kit Kats…”
Others joked that they had no idea what happened to the candy bars â but suggesting they had suddenly come into a huge supply of chocolate.
Nestlé says the product’s unique batch codes assigned to individual bars could help them identify the stolen candy bars if they make their way into stores via the black market, but said so far “the vehicle and its load are still nowhere to be found.”
If a match is found, “the scanner will be given clear instructions on how to alert KitKat who will then share the evidence appropriately,” it said.
The Vevey, Switzerland-based company has taken a lighthearted approach to the theft, as the international publicity blitz following the theft likely far exceeds the approximately $400,000 value of the shipment (assuming $.99 per bar retail value.)
âWhilst we appreciate the criminalsâ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,â KitKat said in a statement to AP.
âWith more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend,â the statement added.
KitKats are a beloved confection the world over, made of sweet wafers covered in chocolate and divided into four “fingers” that can be snapped apart (or not) before consuming.
