A heist has occurred in Europe, one that has ties to Formula 1. Thieves have made off with approximately 12 tonnes (26,455 pounds) of KitKat bars shaped like Formula 1 race cars.
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According to a press release from Nestle, the theft occurred somewhere between the production and distribution locations in Europe. A truck transporting 413,793 units of these unique chocolate products disappeared somewhere along the 1,250-1,350-kilometer route between Central Italy and Poland.
Photo credit: KitKat
The press release noted that there is no risk associated with the KitKat bars — instead, the concern now shifts to distribution. Nestle believes these F1 chocolate bars could enter "unofficial sales channels."
The company said that anyone with relevant information should share it with local law enforcement authorities. They should not attempt to locate and recover the chocolate bars themselves.
"We've always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat — but it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 (tons) of our chocolate.
Whilst we appreciate the criminals' exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes. With more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend."
These chocolate bars are the result of a brand-new partnership between Nestle and F1. The two organizations announced a deal in January that made KitKat the Official Chocolate Partner of Formula 1.
This deal included activation events at 12 of the Grands Prix, exclusive merchandise, targeted ads on Netflix, and the first-ever chocolate molded F1 car.
These cars were set to release across numerous markets, starting with Australia and then the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. A chunky version of the F1 chocolate bars will also arrive in European markets this year.
