Available in over 85 countries and with over 5 billion bars sold annually, KitKat is Nestlé's leading confectionery brand in terms of both revenue and brand value, making it a cornerstone of the company's global portfolio. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the brand's founding in 1935 in York, England.

With its iconic slogan "Take a break, take a KitKat," KitKat has become the international symbol of a meaningful break from the stresses of everyday life. Throughout its 90-year history, the brand has constantly reinvented itself to meet new consumer needs and to cater to the local tastes and cultural preferences of many regions around the world. Originally created as a four-finger chocolate-covered wafer bar, KitKat is now offered in over 300 different flavors, including matcha, sake, and wasabi, and in various formats, such as ice cream, cereals, hot and cold beverages, and chocolate spreads.

Nestlé continues to invest in its largest and most profitable brands, such as KitKat, for the growth opportunities they offer. Most recently, the company launched the KitKat bar in Europe, where sales have grown by over 1.4 billion Swiss francs (approximately 1.49 billion euros) in the last two years and are currently valued at 7.5 billion Swiss francs (8 billion euros). With bars now the second most popular chocolate format in Europe, the KitKat bar is designed to meet the growing demand for indulgent and shareable chocolate experiences. KitKat is known for offering consumers a much-needed break during the day. With the bar, it is now expanding to new occasions, such as well-deserved end-of-day breaks at home, after work, or on the weekend.

KitKat has also collaborated with other popular Nestlé brands, such as Nescafé, to create the KitKat Nescafé Mocha Flavour (see EFA News ). It also launched the eye-catching KitKat Chunky Funky bars to appeal to younger consumers.

"Effective marketing with a consistent message is crucial to consistently win over consumers across all geographies," said Rouven Lochmüller , KitKat Global Brand Manager. "Global campaigns, such as the recently launched 'Break Better' campaign (see EFA News ), which encourages people to take better breaks, are another example of how the 'take a break' positioning has remained the cornerstone of the brand while adapting to today's culture."

Global partnerships, such as the one recently signed by KitKat with Formula 1 (see EFA News ) – Nestlé's largest global brand partnership to date – help increase KitKat's visibility. Through these global alliances, the brand is able to strengthen its resonance among both existing KitKat fans and new consumers, for example by leveraging Generation Z's love of excitement and innovation.

KitKat has also maintained its consistent success throughout its 90-year history, striking a balance between a consistent brand experience and localization for maximum impact and profitability. From customizing flavors and recipes based on local preferences to offering spectacular breaks at one of the world's largest music festivals in Brazil, for example, KitKat targets key consumer groups in diverse markets through various partnerships, advertising channels, and event marketing. The brand also recently partnered with Netflix and Spotify in India and encouraged League of Legends athletes and esports fans to take a break from screens through the "Ultimate Break" initiative.

Looking ahead to the next 90 years, KitKat will continue to reinvent itself, applying many of the same strategies as the past, but constantly modernizing to meet changing consumer preferences.