EUROPE | Designed to capture the growing demand for indulgent and shareable chocolate experiences, Nestlé has launched its new KitKat tablets in Europe.
Valued at CHF 7.5 billion, tablets have become the second most popular chocolate format in the European chocolate market and have grown by over CHF 1.4 billion over the past two years.
Renowned for providing consumers with a much-needed break during the day, KitKat has expanded to new occasions, like those relaxing moments at home after work or during the weekend.
KitKat already has a wide portfolio of tasty chocolate products. With these new tablets, Nestlé leveraged the brand's iconic crispy wafer, creating a multisensory experience through creamy fillings and visually appealing marbled chocolate.
It has aimed to reinforce KitKat's position as a leading brand, while addressing evolving consumer preferences.
"Consumer insights reveal a significant opportunity to enhance the appeal of filled tablets. The new KitKat tablets are breaking the codes of the more conservative tablet segment and making them more attractive to younger shoppers, which should drive growth,” said Stefano Agostini, Head of Confectionery Nestlé Zone Europe.
‘KitKat is one of Nestlé's most successful brands. We are confident that with its brand power, it can successfully expand into new occasions and segments, enjoying a break at home while sharing a piece of chocolate with loved ones."
The new KitKat tablets come in three different flavours: double chocolate, hazelnut and salted caramel.
Nestlé leveraged its in-house chocolate expertise at its R&D centre in York, UK, to develop the tablets' light and creamy fillings and create an eye-catching design.
"These KitKat tablets offer a whole new multisensory experience achieved by carefully balancing the ingredient proportions and creating a delightful texture contrast between the chocolate shell and the delicious fillings,” said Louise Barrett, Head of the Nestlé Research and Development Centre for Confectionery York.
“Additionally, our marbling know-how allows us to precisely blend different chocolate masses, resulting in stunning swirl patterns that enhance visual appeal."
Nestlé invested EUR 44.2 million in its KitKat factory in Sofia, Bulgaria, to make this launch possible. The facility, which opened in November 2024, will enable the production of an additional 10,000 to 20,000 tons of chocolate for export to 29 European countries, Canada and South Africa.
The investment has also created approximately 70 new jobs in the country. The company has spent EUR 100 million upgrading manufacturing capabilities across its three European KitKat factories in the UK, Bulgaria, and Germany.
Aligned with Nestlé's broader sustainability goals and ambition to fully segregate the cocoa ingredients used in its chocolate, the new KitKat tablets use cocoa mass sourced directly from cocoa-farming families enrolled in the company's income accelerator program.
The launch also coincided with the 90th anniversary of the iconic brand. Invented in York in 1935 as 'Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp,' the name 'KitKat' was adopted several years later. The brand has become a worldwide phenomenon, with its 'Have a Break, Have a KitKat' message championing the importance of pausing.
