Over 12 tonne of Nestle’s new Formula One-themed chocolate bars go missing during transit; probe underway
A major consignment of KitKat bars has been stolen during transit to distributors, just days ahead of the Easter holiday, raising concerns over potential shortages for consumers. The truck was carrying 4,13,793 units from a newly introduced chocolate range, amounting to nearly 12 tonne, when it was targeted while passing through Europe on 26 March, reported Agence France-Presse.
According to media reports, Nestle, which owns KitKat, stated that the company is working with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate the theft.
The shipment had departed from a factory in central Italy and was headed to Poland when it was intercepted, Nestle said in a statement. Both the truck and the stolen cargo remain untraced. No injuries were reported during the incident, the company added in comments to The Athletic.
“We have always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat,” said Nestlé in a statement, riffing off the KitKat slogan. “But it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tonne of our chocolate.”
The company further noted that “Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes. With more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend.”
The stolen consignment reportedly comprised products from KitKat’s new Formula One-themed range, developed after the brand became the official F1 chocolate partner last year. The bars are designed in the shape of race cars while retaining the brand’s signature chocolate-coated wafer.
Nestlé has cautioned that the stolen products could surface in grey markets. However, company officials said such items can be tracked using unique batch codes assigned to each bar, enabling law enforcement agencies to identify and trace them if recovered.
