In most parts of the world, Kit Kat lovers may have just one flavor to spend
their breaks with.
Image Screenshot via Great Big Story
That is not the case in Japan, where the brand has concocted more than 400
flavors since its arrival in 1973.
Today, Kit Kat Japan continues to add more flavors to its ever-growing
roster, with one man responsible for much of the innovation.
Image Screenshot via Great Big Story
Yasumasa Takagi, a classically-trained pastry chef, has added at least 50
variants since his arrival — as well as countless more prototypes.
“In my time, Kit Kat only had the milk chocolate base. Since I became
involved, it’s no longer the case,” Takagi told Great Big Story.
The chef first developed a passion fruit flavor, which was then marketed as
“passionate passion fruit.” The product was first released in 2013.
“I’ve made over 50 different flavors, but I’ve made many, many more
prototypes,” Takagi shared. “We have products that [make people] go ‘wow’ or
‘hmm.'”
Image Screenshot via Great Big Story
Takagi creates new flavors right from the kitchen of his Kit Kat store.
Making a prototype involves pouring the flavor into the mold, placing cut
wafers above it and putting another layer on top.
It’s unclear how many Kit Kat flavors are currently on sale in Japan. Some
flavors are also specific to certain regions, such as melon in Hokkaido and
purple sweet potato in Kyushu.
Regardless, Kit Kat, under Nestlé, has become the top product in the
Japanese chocolate market. It overtook Meiji in 2012 through multiple
innovations and “emotion marketing,” according to Confectionery News.
“There are many customers who are anxiously waiting for the next new flavor
and wonder, ‘What will it be, what will it be?’ Many people say, ‘We want to
buy it right away,'” Yuji Takeuchi, marketing manager for Nestlé Japan, told
Great Big Story.
Chef Takagi added, “Ultimately, I wanted to make people happy, moved and
surprised. Unless there’s a wide variety of Kit Kats, it’s not possible for
a wide range of people to be happy.”
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This article first appeared on NextShark.
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