Soy sauce, sweet potato, wasabi, grilled corn … no we’re not listing the ingredients of a delicious far eastern dish, these are in fact the different exotic flavours of a new range of Kit Kats recently launched by Nestlé in Japan!
Nestlé’s Japanese strategy started three years ago with just a handful of flavours but has since escalated into a national phenomenon. Now there are 19 different varieties to choose from, each one only sold in the region for which it was created. Other strange flavours include green tea, salt and caramel, yuzu citrus and Japanese chilli, soybean flour, edamame, and hot chilli.
The beauty of Nestlé’s Kit Kat concept is that it plays on Japan’s love of souvenirs (or “omiyage” as they call them). In Japan, if you go away on a trip, it is customary to bring back a gift for your friends or colleagues. As a result, every region has its own signature treats, which are sold in omiyage shops all across Japan. The exotic flavoured Kit Kats are perfectly suited to this tradition.
The deal with the recently privatised Japanese post office is also particularly impressive. In Japan, there is a tradition of sending students good luck wishes before they take an exam. Nestlé discovered that the Japanese translation of Kit Kat (Kitto Katso) means “surely win”. They therefore decided to team up with Japan’s postal service to create “Kit Kat mail” – a postcard-like product that could be mailed to students as an edible good-luck charm.
Unfortunately for us (or fortunately depending on how you look at it!), this Kit Kat concept is unique to Japan, so chocolate lovers in other countries shouldn’t expect to see exotic local flavours. I personally can’t quite imagine a Yorkshire pudding, Lancashire hotpot or Haggis flavoured Kit Kat anyway, can you?!
Soy sauce flavour Sweet potato flavour
Content based on article from adage
Kit Kat is a registered trademark of Nestlé
Amy from London, UK
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