From its manufacturing plant in Jebel Ali, Nestle Dubai Manufacturing can turn out more than two billion KitKat bars every year, or 5,000 per minute.
More than 400 people currently work at the National Industries Park factory, producing not only the traditional two-finger version of the chocolate treat, but more than 38 KitKat products.
Some of them are flavoured to Middle Eastern tastes, with caramel or hazelnut, while Dubai also creates the 'KitKat Moments' range in cherry brownie, strawberry cheesecake, creme brulee and tiramisu.
The Dubai factory opened in 2010 as part of the company's global expansion, and now supplies 26 countries worldwide with much-loved KitKats.
But the story of the KitKat goes back much further, to Britain in the 18th century when a man called Christopher Catt, or possibly Catling, established a political club for supporters of the Whig Party in London.
In those days, the name Christopher was often shortened to Kit, and so the club became known as the Kit Cat club and then KitKat.
It developed a reputation for the excellence of its mutton pies, which were offered to members as a bite to eat. Over time, the term KitKat became popularly associated with a tasty snack of any kind.
Step forward to the 1930s, and the Rowntree’s confectionery company in York, northern England. Following a suggestion from an employee to “make a snack that a man could take to work in his pack”, the first KitKat rolled off the production line in September 1935.
Except it wasn’t called the KitKat, but the decidedly less snappy Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp.
Rowntree’s had previously trademarked the names KitKat and KitCat and briefly used them for a discontinued line of chocolates. In 1937, someone had the bright idea of reviving it for the new snack, and the KitKat as we know it had arrived.
Produced in four and two-finger versions, and with its distinctive red wrapper, the new bar was an immediate hit. Branded the “Biggest Little Meal in Britain”, it was particularly popular among office workers looking for a quick energy burst.
During the Second World War, eating a KitKat became practically a patriotic duty, although food shortages meant dark rather than milk chocolate was used, and the bar’s wrapper changed to blue.
In the 1950s, the KitKat went global, with exports to Canada, South Africa, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It was also the decade when the famous advertising catchline “Have a break” was created.
KitKats were now taking over the world. A factory in Germany was built to satisfy European demand, and by 2010 the Guinness Book of Records had certified the chocolate bar as the most sold in the world, with 14 factories supplying 72 countries.
In 1970, the American chocolate company Hershey struck a licensing deal with Rowntree’s in 1970, which was bought by Nestle in 1988.
In Japan, the KitKat was introduced by the Fujiya chain of confectionery stores, with only moderate success.
But around 2003, local managers discovered that teenagers were giving the bars to each other as good luck tokens for exams. The name KitKat sounded like the Japanese phrase “kitto katsu”, meaning “you will surely win”.
Capitalising on this, another phrase “Kitto sakura saku yo”, or “wishes come true”, was adopted as an advertising slogan, with teenagers regarding the KitKat as a universal symbol of good fortune.
Not content with mere chocolate, Japanese factories have since produced about 300 different flavours, including sake, sweet potato, Hokkaido melon with mascarpone cheese, and wasabi.
Although not yet mutton pies.
A version of this article was first published on July 26, 2022
Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: South Africa, field first
Pakistan (1st innings) 177: Sarfraz 56, Masood 44; Olivier 4-48
South Africa (1st innings) 123-2: Markram 78; Masood 1-4
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Scotland v Ireland:
Scotland (15-1): Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Sam Johnson, Sean Maitland; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Josh Strauss, James Ritchie, Ryan Wilson; Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Simon Berghan, Stuart McInally, Allan Dell
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, D'arcy Rae, Ben Toolis, Rob Harley, Ali Price, Pete Horne, Blair Kinghorn
Coach: Gregor Townsend (SCO)
Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. RESULTS FOR STAGE 4
Stage 4 Dubai to Hatta, 197 km, Road race.
Overall leader Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal) 2. Matteo Moschetti ITA (Trek - Segafredo) 3. Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
