Nestle Japan strikes gold KitKat in single-fingered salute to itself
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Version 0 of 1. A gold-wrapped KitKat bar is to go on sale Japan – but at a deep-pocketed price and only a single finger at a time. Related: KitKat goes unprotected as European court rejects trademark case Unlike in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the luxury bar won’t be randomly scattered among regular KitKats in shops. Only 500 will be sold and one finger will cost the equivalent of US$16 (2,016 yen/£10.50). Five hundred of the single bars will be made and sold only in the country, according to Nestle Japan, which has previously produced over 200 flavours – from strawberry to green tea and even wasabi – since introducing the bars to Japan in 1973. “In Japanese convenience stores consumers are used to having new varieties all the time,” said Nestle Japan spokeswoman Melanie Kohli. “Japan is a very unique market. Nestle’s limited edition “Sublime Gold” KitKat – covered in gold leaf and described as having a rich, bitter chocolate taste – will go on sale at chocolate boutiques in eight swank department stores from Tokyo to Sapporo in the north and Fukuoka in southern Japan. Kohli said Japan’s omiyage culture of bringing regional gifts back for family and work colleagues after trips away was another reason for KitKat’s success with its various flavours. “Like you have wasabi from Shizuoka and strawberries in Kyushu,” she said. “Japan is the only place where you can have such a variety of KitKat flavours, something linked to that regional culture.” KitKat, traditionally a four-fingered chocolate bar, is sold around the world but comes in about 30 different flavours in Japan including Okinawan sweet potato, Yokohama cheese cake and Kobe pudding. With Agence France-Presse |