400,000 F1-Themed KitKat Chocolate Bars Stolen During Transit in Europe

More than 400,000 KitKat candy bars were stolen after leaving the production facility in Italy.

The Athletic's Madeline Coleman reported the bars were Formula One-themed, with F1 having formalized an official partnership with KitKat in 2024.

A spokesperson for Nestlé, KitKat's parent company, provided a statement on the situation.

"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," they said.

"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."

Earlier this year, KitKat began selling candy bars that resembled F1 cars:

The Associated Press noted that reselling the stolen bars could be complicated by the fact the batch numbers can be traced to the original facility.

"If a match is found, the scanner will be given clear instructions on how to alert the company, which will then share the evidence appropriately," the AP said.

The theft came days before the Japanese Grand Prix, the third race of the 2026 F1 season. Kimi Antonelli earned his second straight win Sunday at Suzuka Circuit.