Japanese Kit Kat flavours have proven to be hugely popular. The wide variety of flavours such as strawberry, matcha green tea, sweet potato, and rum & raisin have been such a big success that Nestlé has had to build a new factory just to cope with the demand. Now, from 19 January, Nestlé will be launching Kit Kat Sublime Ruby chocolate. However, Sublime Ruby is not a new flavour, but a whole new type of chocolate.

According to Bloomberg, Nestlé has finalised a deal with Barry Callebaut AG, a leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and coco products as well as the developer of ruby chocolate; a fourth type of chocolate to go alongside dark, milk and white. Barry Callebaut AG revealed ruby chocolate in September 2017.

Made from the ruby cocoa bean, Kit Kat Sublime Ruby is pink in colour and described as having “a fresh berry-fruity taste.” No berries, berry flavour nor colour have been added.

Nestlé’s deal allows them exclusivity over ruby chocolate for six months, and they’ll begin by distributing a limited number of Kit Kat Sublime Ruby chocolate at their Kit Kat Chocolatary stores in Japan and South Korea on 19 January, as well as online. A single bar of Kit Kat Sublime Ruby will cost ¥400 (around $3.60 / £2.60). Then, from 1 February, a Kit Kat Sublime Valentine’s Assortment box of five and seven bars will be available at a number of seasonal pop-up stores in time for Valentine’s Day. These will contain additional flavours such as Sublime Bitter, Milk, White, Matcha and Raw.

“Japan is the market that has made Kit Kat so iconic in terms of all the different flavours they’ve developed,” said Nestlé’s global head of confectionery, Sandra Martinez, in an interview with Bloomberg. “Kit Kat is a brand that’s modern and connects well with millennials, so it’s the right brand to put the first ruby chocolate in the world.”

“I am extremely honoured to be part of this landmark moment in the history of chocolate,” said Yasumasa Takagi, the Japanese patissier behind Kit Kat’s latest chocolate. “I have created an especially simple Kit Kat that allows you to enjoy the characteristic fruity fragrance and subtle acidity of Ruby cacao to the fullest. Enjoy wonderful flavours that have never been experienced before.”

Following Japan and South Korea, Nestlé is looking to launch Kit Kat Sublime Ruby in other countries later this year, with Australia already on the cards for the second quarter of 2018.

Originally published on MyM Buzz on 18 January 2018.