New Nestle factory opens in Japan to cater to bizarre Kit Kat obsession

Olivia Lambert
AUGUST 9, 2017

The Japanese eat 5 million Kit Kats a day! Why the obsession?

JAPAN’S crazy obsession with Kit Kat chocolate bars has reached new heights.

Already the world leader, Japan’s first Nestle factory in 26 years is opening in the country to cater to the exotic flavour demand.

It is the number one selling chocolate bar, with 4 million pieces (two fingers) purchased every day. There are 30 varieties on the market, which certainly beats Australia’s limited range.

Some of the bizarre but delicious sounding flavours are green tea, strawberry maple, rum and raisin, roasted tea and strawberry.

Kit Kats have become so massive in the country, Japan has even branched out from the chocolate bar, selling Kit Kat branded cheese cakes, Kit Kat sandwiches and even Kit Kats that you can bake. They definitely put our Kit Kat Chunky Caramel to shame.

A spokesman for Nestle Japan said Kit Kat had even released limited edition flavours on certain holidays, including pumpkin, carrot cake, wasabi and purple potato.

“In the past, we also featured varieties with soy sauce or miso,” spokesman Takuya Hiramatsu told news.com.au.

Japan even opened Kit Kat Chocolatory shops, dedicated to selling specialty flavours.

Kit Kats have become one of Japan’s major tourist attractions and the new factory built to cater for the Kit Kat demand was opened at the beginning of this month. 

“Kit Kat is a global chocolate brand familiarly enjoyed in more than 100 countries around the world. In Japan, it gains strong support from not only domestic customers, but also foreign visitors to Japan,” a statement said.

“Kit Kat is the number one chocolate brand in Japan.

“We newly built the factory to respond to further demand increase from home and abroad by strengthening supply system.”

Mr Hiramatsu said Kit Kat sales for 2016 had increased 50 per cent on 2010.

“Premiumisation is one of Nestle’s global key growth pillars. For Japan this is particularly relevant as we are operating in a highly saturated market environment,” he said.

“Nestle Japan is the first market to develop Kit Kat as a premium brand. For more than 15 years we have been promoting premiumisation by flavour varieties, regional souvenir series and eventually Kit Kat Chocolatory.

“Through the new factory, we accelerate the premiumisation strategy.”

Mr Hiramatsu said Japan’s most favourite Kit Kat flavours were matcha, Japanese sake and wasabi. He believed there was such an obsession with the chocolate bar for a number of reasons.

“Japanese consumers are more sensitive to sweetness. Japanese Kit Kat is less sweet compared to other market ones,” he said.

“Japanese consumers prefer small bite-size portions. Japanese Kit Kat for one, size is smaller compared to other market ones.

“Japanese consumers prefer to enjoy many tastes little by little. Japanese Kit Kat flavour variety is very broad and unique worldwide.”

Mr Hiramatsu said in the past few years, the demand for ‘Made in Japan’ stamps on Kit Kats by tourists had also drastically increased.