"Bought it in Japan" When Did the British Brand 'KitKat' Become a Japanese Specialty? [Sunday Culture]

Shift to 'Small-Volume, Multi-Product System' Amid Low Birthrate and Aging Population... Focus on Diverse Flavors
Active Limited Regional and Seasonal Releases... Attracting Tourists by Capturing Domestic Consumers

Many of you have probably received KitKat chocolate snacks as gifts from people who traveled to Japan. Some of my Japanese friends around me occasionally bring seasonal limited-edition flavors as gifts when they visit Korea. I think the green matcha-flavored KitKat is probably the most famous.

In fact, if you think about it, KitKat is not a Japanese company product but a multinational company Nestl? product. KitKat was actually born in the UK. In 1935, a British confectionery company launched a snack consisting of wafer biscuits covered in milk chocolate, named after the 'Kit-Cat Club,' a club that only the London upper class could join. During World War II, KitKats were so popular that they were included in soldiers' rations.

Matcha-flavored KitKat from Japan. (Photo by Nestle Japan)

However, in Japan, there are unusually many flavor options for KitKat. Besides the classic milk chocolate flavor in red packaging, there are strawberry, matcha, sake, wasabi, and all sorts of flavors. They even release seasonal limited products with ingredients like sweet potato and rice flavor. Additionally, less sweet flavors like strawberry, matcha, and rich chocolate KitKats are grouped under the 'Otona no Amasa (大人の甘さ)' series, meaning 'adult sweetness.'

Looking at the products introduced by Nestl? Japan, there are various flavors such as strawberry cake in a Mount Fuji-shaped pack, traditional plum wine flavor called Umeshu, Hiroshima's momiji manj? flavor, Hokuriku region's specialty red bean paste sandwich flavor, Kyoto hojicha flavor, and more. This truly makes Japan a 'KitKat country' that has turned regional specialties into KitKats.

Because of this, at Don Quijote, a supermarket chain where many tourists stop to buy souvenirs, stores in tourist-heavy areas reportedly sell over 100 million yen (about 910 million KRW) worth of KitKats per month on average. How did British KitKat become a Japanese specialty? Today, we share the story of Japan's 'Kitto Katto,' KitKat.

Recently, the Japanese online media IT Media published an article titled 'Why are there 40 types of KitKat only in Japan?' They interviewed a person in charge of KitKat brand marketing in Japan. Currently, more than 40 flavors of KitKat are sold in Japan, including seasonal limited products.

Nestl? follows the policy slogan 'Think globally, Act locally.' This means thinking globally but acting locally, respecting the preferences and food culture of consumers in each country while developing products. Japan is a country with well-developed regional specialties and a culture of consuming seasonal desserts and foods, which allowed them to try various flavors. Therefore, package designs like the Mount Fuji shape were also considered diversely.

KitKat featuring various regional specialties from Hiroshima, Hokuriku, and more. (Photo by Nestl? Japan)

In fact, this variation originated with the 'KitKat Strawberry' released in Japan in 2000. At that time, the retail industry was seeing convenience stores grow faster than supermarkets. Convenience stores have fewer products than supermarkets but give an impression of faster product turnover rather than long-term storage like warehouse-style supermarkets. KitKat evolved strategically to fit this convenience store era.

Until the 1980s, KitKat mainly targeted families with children and sold large-sized products in big bags at large supermarkets. However, KitKat was concerned about Japan's declining birthrate and aging population trend. With the expectation that KitKat consumers would gradually decrease, they began to explore how to survive. Amid this, the 'KitKat Strawberry' hit in 2000, leading to a shift toward 'small-lot production of many varieties.'

In 2002, they experimented with local limited KitKats, releasing the 'Yubari Melon flavor' sold only in Hokkaido. From 2008, they began full-scale development of local specialty KitKats. When collaborating with local specialties, they promoted the campaign with a common concept of 'supporting the local economy,' which increased popularity.

KitKat collaborated with the famous confectionery 'Sugar Butter Tree'. (Photo by Nestl? Japan)

The Nestl? headquarters evaluates Japan's case as a successful example of high value-added products. The original KitKat sold in Japan costs about 300 yen (2,724 KRW) for 13 pieces, while KitKats made with local specialties can cost 900 yen (8,174 KRW) for 10 pieces or 500 yen (4,541 KRW) for 6 pieces.

When asked if this was aimed at tourists visiting Japan, a KitKat representative answered no. There was internal debate about whether product development should focus on tourists. However, since tourists also look for popular local products, all KitKats sold in Japan are developed to suit Japanese tastes. There are about 150 stores nationwide that display paper cranes folded from KitKat boxes or install panels modeled after Mount Fuji to create a unique atmosphere.

Nestl? Japan is currently considering new products targeting the 2025 Kansai-Osaka Expo. Another Osaka Expo limited flavor is expected to be born. Although specific details cannot be disclosed yet, it seems like a fresh attempt.