New Delhi: An unlikely heist has recently taken place in Europe, it pertains not to expensive goods like jewels or ancient artifacts, but to chocolates.
Confirmed by the parent company Nestle, reportedly a shipment containing 4,13,793 units of a new chocolate range, weighing about 12 tons was stolen on March 26 while in transit from a factory in central Italy to distributors in Poland.
Chocolates disappear
“We’ve always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat,” the company released a statement referencing its iconic slogan, further adding, “but it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tons of our chocolate.”
The missing stash includes bars from KitKat’s new Formula One-themed line, launched after the brand became the official F1 chocolate partner last year. The bars are shaped like race cars, while keeping the signature wafer-and-chocolate design.
Regarding recent press coverage pic.twitter.com/Huh4EnFV2J
— KITKAT (@KITKAT) March 29, 2026
“Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” the company said. “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.”
Nestle warned the stolen bars could surface through unofficial channels. However, it said each product can be tracked using batch codes printed on the packaging.
Consumers, retailers and wholesalers can scan these codes to check if a product is part of the stolen shipment. If flagged, the system will provide instructions to alert the company, which will then pass the information to authorities. “We are working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate,” KitKat said. “The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety, and supply is not affected.”
