A pack of chocolate-covered wafer biscuit bar KitKat brand is displayed in the showroom of Swiss food giant’s Nestle on October 20, 2016 in Vevey.
Sales of Swiss food giant Nestle rose slightly in the first 9 months of 2016, in a “more sluggish” environment, which led the group to strongly revise downwards its expectations for the full 2016 year. According to a statement released October 20, the group recorded a one-percent increase in sales over the first nine months of 2016 to 65,500,000,000 francs (60 billion euros). / AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
FABRICE COFFRINI
AFP via Getty Images
Nestlé insists a recent KitKat theft is not an April Fool’s joke.
After the brand said 12 tons of KitKat products were stolen while being transported between a factory in central Italy and their destination in Poland, the company launched an online tracker so consumers can check whether their KitKat came from the missing batch.
Nestlé said the company is “working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate.”
What’s the Deal With the Stolen KitKat Tracker?
Days after the heist made headlines, KitKat escalated its response. In a post shared via the brand’s Instagram page on April 1, they released what they called an “Official Statement in Response to Other Official Statements.”
“Thank you for your interest in the missing KitKats. But just to clarify, this is not a stunt, or an April Fool’s joke,” the post read. “Someone really stole 12 tonnes of KitKats. And we really want to know where they’ve gone. So, we’ve created a Stolen KitKat Tracker that lets you check if your KitKat is from the missing batch.”
The tracker, linked in the brand’s Instagram bio, greets visitors with the message: “413,793 KITKATS HAVE BEEN STOLEN 🍫IS YOURS ONE OF THEM?”
The tool asks users to find the eight-digit batch number on the back of their KitKat and enter the code. If your bar wasn’t part of the stolen batch, a message reads, “THIS KITKAT WASN´T STOLEN – KEEP SEARCHING AND HELP US WIDEN THE SEARCH BY SHARING.”
KitKat maintains the theft is real. According to the brand, 413,793 chocolate bars remain unaccounted for, and investigations are ongoing in collaboration with local authorities and supply chain partners. The tracker remains active on the brand’s Instagram bio for anyone who wants to check their batch number.
Why These Particular KitKats Are So Special
The stolen chocolate bars were part of the KitKat Formula One line, which are shaped like race cars, diverting from the traditional rectangular shape we know and love. Nestlé said “the vehicle and its contents remain unaccounted for.”
A spokesperson for the brand said, “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 tons of our chocolate.”
Nestlé confirmed “there are no concerns for customer safety, and supply is not affected.”
Other Brands Are Joining in on the Fun
The brand’s Instagram comments section turned into a free-for-all after the announcement. Lipton Ice Tea’s account wrote, “I believe u boo.” Kayali’s account commented, “So your slogan isn’t ‘Break in, have a KitKat’? 😭🍫.”
“Ugh, you just can’t catch a break…” Hostess Snacks wrote. PopUp Bagels commented, “Don’t check our cream cheese…”
Yamaha Motor Europe commented, “Whatever you do, DO NOT look at our last post.” The brand’s most recent Instagram photo showed a pile of KitKats on the seat of a car with the caption, “Just us having a break…#KitKat.”
The April 1 posting date fueled doubt among commenters. “I told you it was an April Fool’s joke 😹😹😹😹😹😹,” one person commented. Another wrote, “If this is an April Fools stunt, I will applaud you and pat my back. Whilst eating a Kit Kat 👏.”
“Plot twist: it was the marketing team all along 👀,” another said. “So totally a stunt. LOL,” added another commenter.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
Belleville News-Democrat
Samantha Agate is a content specialist working with McClatchy Media’s Trend Hunter and national content specialists team.