From wasabi and adzuki bean to green tea and purple sweet potato, the Kit Kat flavours offered in Japan have helped boost sales of the chocolate bar by 50 percent since 2010.

In response to growing demand, Nestle, the largest food company in the world, has announced plans to build a factory in Japan for the first time in 26 years.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

The plant, based in the western city of Himeji, will be operational from August.

The more exotic the flavour of a Kit Kat however, the more expensive it is.

Boxes of more unusual Kit Kats can cost over 1,500 yen ($13.41), while gourmet seasonal flavours fetch as much as 3,500 yen ($31.28) per package — more than 10 times the cost of a regular bag of the chocolate wafers.

In an underground shopping center connected to Tokyo Station, Nestle sells high-end versions of the snack at a designated Kit Kat Chocolatory.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

A spokesman from Nestle said:

“Over the past few years, Nestle was able to demonstrate good growth in Japan despite a challenging environment.This good performance can be explained with our strategic focus on innovation and premium, for example with Kit Kat.”

Candy consumption in Japan more than tripled over the past four years to $1.17bn in 2016, according to the country’s Ministry of the Environment.

Nestle, which acquired the Kit Kat brand in 1988, achieved organic growth of just 3.2 percent in 2016 — the slowest for at least 20 years.

Verdict takes a look at 10 of the bizarre but alluring Kit Kat flavours on offer in Japan.

1. Edamame

Image result for edamame kit kat

2. Chocolate fondant

3. Sake

4. Miso soup

5. Soy sauce

6. Hot Japanese chili

7. Corn

Corn-flavored Kit Kat

8. Wasabi

9. Butter

10. Purple sweet potato