KitKat History

The KitKat brand was first registered as a trademark in 1911 in the United Kingdom and was used for a short time on a box of chocolates. In its current form, the KitKat product was first sold on 29 August 1935, originally under the name "Chocolate Crisp". The KitKat name and brand identity were introduced on the packaging in May 1937, along with the name "Chocolate Crisp", which was removed from the packaging in 1949. 

Originally launched in a red and gold colour combination, the product was changed to blue and white in 1942 due to the use of dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate during World War II due to milk shortages. The red and gold packaging was reintroduced in 1947, along with the traditional milk chocolate that characterises KitKat. Eventually, the current classic red and white colours became standard in 1973. The first reference to a "break" in relation to KitKat was in 1937. 

The famous slogan "Have a break, have a KitKat" was first introduced in 1958 and has been used continuously since. 

KitKat's geographic expansion accelerated rapidly after World War II, with the brand achieving rapid success in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. Production facilities were established in these countries, and expansion continued into Europe and Japan in the 1970s, further increasing the brand's recognition. 

Nestlé acquired the KitKat brand as part of its acquisition of Rowntree in 1988. Over the following decade, Nestlé accelerated the brand's global growth with new manufacturing facilities in emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America. KitKat is currently manufactured by Nestlé in 13 countries and sold directly in more than 70 markets. In addition, Hershey Corp. manufactures and sells KitKat under license in the United States. 

Today, around 635 KitKat bars are consumed every second worldwide. KitKat continues to grow in importance among consumers as part of the digital lifestyle. In 2013, KitKat and Google partnered to launch Android OS 4.4 KitKat. The news that two of the world’s most famous brands had joined forces to launch the world’s first branded operating system trended on Twitter for over 12 hours and garnered over 5.1 billion views. This helped cement KitKat’s position as a central part of the modern digital break. 

In 2014, KitKat launched its first global campaign. This was the first time that communications had been coordinated globally to convey a unified message. The “Celebrate The Breakers” campaign addressed the changing nature of breaks and helped maintain KitKat’s relevance in people’s lives. It focused on celebrating the diversity of breaks around the world and conveyed the message: “No matter who you are or how you take a break, take a break and enjoy a KitKat.” 

At the same time, Japan's first KitKat chocolate shop opened, giving fans the opportunity to design their own flavour for the perfect personalised break. KitKat continues to explore digital spaces to ensure the brand's relevance in an increasingly connected world. 

In 2016, KitKat became the first global chocolate brand to use only sustainably grown cocoa. 

In 2020, we proudly celebrated KitKat’s 85th anniversary. The following year, KitKat Vegan was launched. The original KitKat milk was replaced with a rice-based alternative that retains the perfect consistency and taste. In addition, Nestlé launched a growth program that also included KitKat. 

New flavors of KitKat were launched in the Nordics in 2023. Today, KitKat can be enjoyed in various flavor combinations such as milk chocolate, dark chocolate, hazelnut and white chocolate. 

KitKat continues its sustainable journey and aims to be climate neutral by 2025. In 2025, KitKat Chunky and KitKat Balls will be launched in Norway. A new journey has begun.