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A KitKat is a confection manufactured by Nestlé. It consists of thin bars composed of several layers of chocolate-soaked wafer, covered in an outer layer of chocolate. Each finger is usually snapped from the bar to be consumed.
The traditional bar had 4 fingers about 1 cm wide and 12 cm long; a snack variety of two fingers was later introduced. KitKat Chunky has one large finger approximately 2.5 cm wide.
This chocolate bar was originally launched in the UK as "Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp" in 1935, and renamed "KitKat" in 1937. The name is believed to have come from the Kit-Cat Club, an 18th Century Whig literary club whose meeting place had such low ceilings that paintings hung inside needed to have sections snapped off. Another explanation is that it is the sound made as one opens the packaging: "kit" as the foil snaps beneath one's thumb, and "kat" as a finger is broken off to be eaten.
The KitKat has been exported in a number of localised versions for overseas markets, such as the United States, Canada, Germany and Australia. Its availability and popularity varies between countries. In recent years, KitKats have become very popular in Japan, a phenomenon attributed to the coincidental similarity between the bar's name and the Japanese phrase kitto katsu, roughly translating as "I hope you win." This has reportedly led to parents and children buying them for school examination days as a sort of good luck charm. [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4230471.stm)
KitKat varieties
Many varieties of KitKat have existed, either temporarily or permanently:
- White KitKat - same as KitKat, but white chocolate is used.
- Dark KitKat - same as KitKat, but dark chocolate is used.
- Orange KitKat - same as KitKat, but orange-flavoured chocolate is used.
- Mint KitKat - same as KitKat, but mint-flavoured chocolate is used.
- KitKat Chunky - similar to KitKat, but in a thick, finger-like form, rather than the typical thin form.
- KitKat Kubes - Cube-shaped miniature snacks
- Kit Kat Strawberry - Japan, Canada and UK
- Kit Kat Vanilla - Canada and UK
- Kit Kat Chunky White - hugely popular, available permanently in US, limited edition UK, Australia and Canada
- KitKat Green Tea - Japan
- Kit Kat Inside Out - US - White Chocolate outside, chocolate creme filling and chocolate wafers
- Kit Kat Triple Chocolate - US - All three component made entirely out of chocolate.
- Kit Kat Peanut Butter - Canada - A Kit Kat Chunky Bar with Peanut Butter Filling
- Kit Kat Chunky Caramel - Canada, Australia and UK
- Lemon Cheesecake Kit Kat - Germany and Japan
- Kit Kat Blood Orange
- Kit Kat Low Carb - UK
- Kit Kat Luscious Lime
- Kit Kat White Lemon and Yogurt
- KitKat Big Kat(Hershey US)
- Kit Kat Apple (Japan)
- Kit Kat Passion Fruit (Japan)
- Kit Kat White Winter (cinnamon zint - germany)
- Kit Kat Caramac (UK - caramel white chocolate mixed coating)
- Kit Kat Hazelnut (aka KK Noisette, germany)
- Kit Kat Milky White (Germany)
- Kit Kat Fine Dark (Germany)
- Kit Kat Banana (Japan lmt ed.)
- Kit Kat Pineapple(Japan lmt ed.)
- Kit Kat Blueberry(Japan lmt ed.)
US rights to the KitKat were licensed to Hershey's in 1970.
The difference in size, ingredients and texture of bars manufactured by Hershey and Nestlé can be noticed when one from each company is put side by side.
KitKat Trivia
One of the ingredients used in the production of KitKats is... KitKats! Part of the filling is made from KitKat bars which were damaged during the manufacturing process.
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