A truck carrying 413,793 F1-themed KitKat chocolate bars was stolen in Italy on its way to Poland. The truck and its contents have not been found. The theft happened just before Easter, raising concerns about chocolate shortages across Europe.
Thieves in Italy stole an entire truck carrying over 400,000 KitKat chocolate bars last week. The truck left a production site in central Italy and was heading to Poland for distribution across Europe. Somewhere along the roughly 800-mile route, it vanished.
The shipment consisted of 413,793 bars from KitKat’s new Formula 1 chocolate range. The vehicle and its cargo remain missing, and the company has not revealed exactly where along the route the theft took place.
The KitKat chocolate bars stolen were not ordinary. KitKat became the official chocolate partner of Formula 1 in 2025. The stolen range includes the first-ever chocolate bar molded in the shape of an F1 racing car, featuring a milk chocolate shell with crispy cereal and wafer pieces, as well as the F1 KitKat Chunky launched in January 2026.
What Nestlé Said
Nestlé, the Swiss company that owns KitKat, responded with a statement that referenced the brand’s famous slogan. A KitKat spokesperson said: “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 tonnes 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.”
The company warned that the missing KitKat chocolate bars could enter unofficial sales channels across European markets. However, Nestlé added that each bar carries a unique batch code.
Anyone who comes across the stolen bars can scan the code and will receive instructions on how to alert KitKat, who will then share the information with local authorities. The company urged people not to take any direct action to recover the bars themselves.
The theft happened just ahead of the Easter holiday, one of the busiest times of the year for chocolate sales, raising concerns about potential supply gaps for retailers. Nestlé has said overall supply is not affected.
No one was hurt during the incident. Investigations are ongoing with local authorities.
