MILAN — Nestlé will bring the flavor of Japan to Europe this spring with the KitKat Green Tea Matcha. The four-finger treat will be available in retailers across Europe starting in late February. This follows requests from chocolate lovers to make innovative KitKat flavors available to consumers outside Japan.
KitKat Green Tea Matcha is inspired by one of the most popular of the 350+ KitKat varieties that have been available in Japan over the years. The brand is a household name there, popular for gifting and with tourists looking for an interesting souvenir.
Matcha is a traditional drink made from powdered green tea that has been enjoyed for centuries in Japan, often as part of an elaborate tea ceremony. In KitKat Green Tea Matcha, it is combined with smooth white chocolate to give a sweet and fragrant flavor.
“From its origins in the United Kingdom in 1935, KitKat has grown in popularity across the globe. Nestlé in Japan has taken KitKat to the next level in the last two decades, with innovative flavor combinations and inspiring special editions. We are excited to bring one of the most iconic Japanese KitKats back home to Europe this year,” said Alexander von Maillot, Global Head of Confectionery at Nestlé.
KitKat Green Tea Matcha for the European market is manufactured in Hamburg, Germany using UTZ-certified cocoa beans and real Matcha green tea from Japan and China. There are no artificial colours, flavors or preservatives.
The new launch follows on from the introduction of KitKat Ruby in Europe in 2018, to meet the growing demands of consumers who enjoy experimenting with new trends.
Alexander von Maillot added: “The launches of KitKat Ruby and KitKat Green Tea Matcha are further proof of our commitment to our leading international confectionery brand. We have introduced other innovative flavors and premium products to KitKat, KitKat Chunky and KitKat Senses in recent years, and there is more to come!”
The rise of KitKat in Japan began in the year 2000 with a strawberry flavor version. In 2004, the ‘KitKat Uji Matcha’ was released. With the introduction of a new technology to mix matcha powder into chocolate, the product became a huge hit.
