Synopsis
A 12-tonne shipment of KitKat bars was stolen in Europe, sparking viral memes from brands like Microsoft, McAfee, KFC and Domino’s. Nestlé confirmed the theft during transit, while assuring no supply impact and launching a tracking system to trace the missing chocolates.In a post on its official Instagram account, KitKat confirmed that over "12 tonnes of its chocolate bars" had been taken in a major heist. Soon after, companies ranging from tech firms such as Microsoft and McAfee to consumer brands KFC and Domino’s, and even Kerala Tourism shared witty responses online.
Dominos Pizza UK wrote: “We would like to share our thoughts and condolences with Kit Kat following their recent sad news. On a completely unrelated note, we're pleased to announce we'll now be selling a new Kit Kat pizza."
DoorDash said: “Due to a completely random packaging error, we have 12 tons of KitKats in our DashMarts that we can’t sell.
The good news: all you have to do is go to your DooDash app and add like 500-600 KitKats to your cart and this should resolve itself quickly.”
KFC also joked, “sorry guys we were product testing for our 12th herb and spice.”
Even Microsoft Edge joined in, sharing a mock internal email from “the boss” asking about the “boxes of kikats” in the office.
Not to be left behind, cybersecurity firm McAfee shared an "(un)official statement" expressing sympathy, and added that protecting consumers is something the company will never “take a break” from.
Kerala Tourism playfully clarified that no shipment had reached its beaches or backwaters, while promoting the state as a perfect place for a “proper break”.
Company response and investigation
Amid the online chatter, Nestlé, KitKat’s parent company, confirmed the theft took place while the shipment was moving from Central Italy to Poland.
"We can confirm that 12T of KitKat products were stolen while in transit between our factory in Central Italy and their destination in Poland. We are working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate. The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety, and supply is not affected. Thank you," the company said.
Nestlé has implemented a tracking system using unique batch codes printed on each bar. If these codes are scanned, they will "prompt users with instructions to alert KitKat," according to a report by AFP, helping the company detect any unauthorised sales. Retailers and consumers across Europe have been advised to remain alert.
