Nestlé launches cake-style KitKat upon renovating chocolate store in Japan

The launch is scheduled to coincide with the reopening of the store following renovations to add a new café space and an enhancement in the product range and services.

The KitKat Chocolatory series was created as a premium arm of the brand by Nestlé Japan in 2014. Some of the existing flavors, which will be manufactured at the company’s new Himeji plant​​, include sublime bitter, strawberry maple, and pistachio and raspberry.

Chocolate layer​

KitKat Chocolatory Gateau Mignon is a cake-style chocolate, and it will be available in three and six-piece boxes, said Nestlé.

“The chocolate fondant cake used in the product is based on a cake that patissier Yasumasa Takagi worked on for roughly eight years,”​ the company said. “In order to achieve the best balance between the crunchiness of KitKat and the moist texture of the chocolate fondant cake, a chocolate layer was added in between.”​

​

The first few dozen customers to purchase the product each day between July 25 and July 31 at the Ginza store will be gifted with pieces of the chocolate fondant cake. However, the cake will not be available for sale.

Upon the reopening of the store, Nestlé will also offer frozen chocolatory with dried ice, KitKat Chocolatory Parfait, and KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Original Message that allows consumers to customize chocolate bars with personal messages.

Chocolate confectionery in Japan​

KitKat currently accounts for 3.4% of the total Japanese chocolate confectionery market, Euromonitor data showed.

The market data provider said chocolate confectionery in Japan continued to grow in 2017, with current value sales rising by 5% compared to last year to JPY555 billion (around $5bn).

Boxed assortments is also one of the fastest growing areas in the country’s chocolate confectionery category in 2017, with current value sales rising by 6% year-over-year, driven by continuous strong demand for premium chocolate, Euromonitor added.