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Kit Kat can actually trace its origins to the 1700s to the Christopher Cat’s pie shop near Temple Bar.
In the late 1690s, Cat baked mutton pies that became the signature dish at gatherings of influential Whig politicians and literary figures.
The men called themselves the Kit-Cat Club, combining Cat’s nickname “Kit” with his surname.
They met regularly until the 1720s, discussing politics over mutton pies made by Cat.
The idea of the modern Kit Kat candy bar began in York, England during a worker’s lunch break.
A factory employee at Rowntree’s confectionery plant came up with the idea of a chocolate bar specifically sized for a working man’s lunch pail.
The employee’s suggestion led Rowntree’s to develop what was initially called “Rowntree Chocolate Crisp” — four connected wafer fingers coated in milk chocolate, designed to fit neatly alongside sandwiches in a lunch box.
The company launched the candy bar the following year, 1935, with each bar wrapped in wax paper and foil to protect it during transport.
The name “Kit Kat Chocolate Crisp” replaced “Rowntree” in 1937, to honor the “Kit-Cat Club,” as previously mentioned.
Kit Kat became so successful that it became Rowntree’s best-selling product within just two years of launch.
It then was renamed to simply “Kit Kat” in 1945.
During World War II, milk shortages forced Rowntree’s to alter the Kit Kat’s recipe and appearance dramatically.
From 1942 to 1947, the company replaced the milk chocolate coating with dark chocolate.
They replaced the familiar red wrapper with a blue one to show that it was a temporarily modified Kit Kat.
When milk supplies stabilized after the war, Kit Kat returned to its original recipe and red packaging.
The advertising firm J. Walter Thompson’s London office created the Kit Kat slogan in 1957.
Copywriter Donald Gilles crafted the specific phrase “Have a break... have a Kit Kat,” linking the chocolate wafer bar directly to work breaks and moments of pause.
The slogan first appeared in UK television commercials that year, showing office workers unwrapping Kit Kats during their tea breaks.
The campaign was successful, soon it was common for Kit Kat being synonymous with short breaks across British workplaces.
Parent company Rowntree’s expanded the slogan’s use internationally in the 1960s and 70s.
When Nestlé acquired Rowntree’s in 1988, they maintained the slogan into the modern day.
From 1935 to 2001, Kit Kat chocolate bars came wrapped in a distinctive silver foil inner layer with a paper outer sleeve.
The metallic foil protected the wafer fingers while preserving their crispness.
The paper wrapper displayed the red Kit Kat logo and product information.
Sadly, in 2001, Nestlé replaced this dual-layer packaging with a single flow wrap plastic sleeve, a change that affected individual Kit Kat bars sold separately.
Nestlé controls the candy bar worldwide, having purchased British confectioner Rowntree’s (Kit Kat’s creator) in 1988.
However, Hershey holds exclusive rights to make and sell Kit Kat bars within United States borders, thanks to a licensing deal struck in 1970.
This agreement has lasted over 50 years, resulting in subtle differences between American and international Kit Kats due to different manufacturing processes and ingredient sourcing between the two companies.
Low-carb diets gained prominence in 2003.
Nestlé faced declining Kit Kat sales in Western markets as consumers avoided traditional chocolate wafers.
So they launched targeted varieties like sugar-free and dark chocolate options to capture health-conscious buyers while maintaining their core product line.
However, Japan emerged as Kit Kat’s laboratory for innovation.
Starting in 2000, the Japanese division released region-specific flavors that reflected local tastes and traditions.
They introduced matcha green tea Kit Kats in Kyoto, hojicha roasted tea versions in Kyushu, and sake-flavored varieties in wine-producing regions.
By 2024, Japanese consumers had access to over 300 distinct Kit Kat varieties, from everyday flavors like strawberry and vanilla to bold experiments with wasabi, soy sauce, and pickled plum.
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