KitKat becomes world’s first brand to adopt Ruby chocolate innovation | Progresiv
Barry Callebaut and Nestlé have partnered together for a world first – Japanese KitKat is the first consumer brand to launch a Ruby chocolate version named KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Ruby. As of January 19, Nestlé Japan Ltd. launched the Ruby chocolate version of its iconic KitKat brand in KitKat Chocolatory stores in Japan and South Korea, as well as online, and according to Barry Callebaut, this means it will be available in more countries. 
KitKat is the first to offer this fourth type of chocolate to consumers, just five months after Ruby chocolate was first launched by Barry Callebaut in September 2017.
Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Christiaan Prins, Head of External Affairs at Barry Callebaut, said: “With Ruby chocolate being launched just five months ago and now already having a brand adopt and bring it to the market is extremely exciting. The Nestlé team in Japan and South Korea were the quickest to catch onto this trend. With the launch being in Shanghai last year, which could well be why there is an extra appetite from Asian countries. But ultimately, it’s about who is the quickest to adapt and integrate Ruby into their brands, and this case it was Nestlé in Japan and Korea.”
Prins believes the color of Ruby chocolate appeals to a broad group of people, and the flavor, in particular, appeals to millennials, he says.
The Nestlé deal is exclusive for a limited time, initially for six months, but Barry Callebaut is confident about the future of Ruby chocolate. Prins adds: “Barry Callebaut’s gourmet brands are also looking at launching it in the first half of 2018, so we can expect that it will become much more visible in the coming months, on the market.”
Since the announcement in Shanghai, China, on September 5, 2017, Ruby chocolate has been attracting strong interest from chocolate connoisseurs throughout the world. The Ruby chocolate used in KITKAT Chocolatory Sublime Ruby has a fresh berry-fruity taste and characteristic color. Ruby chocolate is made from the Ruby cocoa bean. No berries, berry flavor nor color are added. The bean has a specific set of attributes, which Barry Callebaut managed to unlock through an innovative process that took many years to develop. (www.foodingredientsfirst.com)
