KitKat address robbery that could cause shortage ahead of Easter
These thieves got a sweet deal with this sugar heist.
On Saturday, 28 March, a Nestle spokesperson confirmed that 413,793 KitKat units had been stolen.
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KitKat, owned by Swiss food giant Nestlé, said in a statement to AFP on Saturday that a shipment of "its new chocolate range has been stolen during transit in Europe".
The massive shipment of Nestlé's crunchy KitKat chocolate bars was stolen, the brand said, warning that the heist risked causing shortages in stores right before Easter.
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The shipment, weighing around 12 tonnes, disappeared last week while heading between production and distribution locations, it 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 tonnes of our chocolate.
The statement continued: “Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes. With 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.”
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According to The Athletic, the stolen bars were from KitKat’s new Formula One line, as the brands have joined forces in 2025, making KitKat the official F1 chocolate bar.
The candy bars were moulded into race car shapes, still featuring KitKat’s iconic chocolate-covered wafers.
The stolen truck had left central Italy and was making its way to Poland, with a plan to distribute the bars in countries along the way.
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KitKat did not say where specifically the goods had gone missing, but said: "The vehicle and its contents remain unaccounted for".
"Investigations are ongoing in close collaboration with local authorities and supply chain partners," it said.
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KitKat warned that the missing chocolate bars "could enter unofficial sales channels across European markets".
It said it was possible to trace the stolen goods by scanning the unique batch codes found on each bar.
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"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 brand warned that "the theft may lead to a shortage of KitKats appearing on the shelf", acknowledging that "consumers, unfortunately, may struggle to find their favourite chocolates ahead of Easter".
Luckily, they have since shared an update about the shortages that will make KitKat lovers very happy:
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Image: KitKat Official Facebook