Earlier this month, Nestlé announced that they will be making the original Kit Kat bar (w/ 4 break-offable pieces) with Fairtrade cocoa from the Ivory Coast by January 2010, or next month! This new deal will increase Fairtrade chocolate sales by £43 million on an annual basis, dwarfing the £28 million of Fairtrade chocolate sales that were achieved during 2008. It will help economically strapped African farmers in a huge way. To receive the Fairtrade accreditation companies have to pay a minimum price to their suppliers, plus a premium of about $150 (£90) a ton, to qualify for Fairtrade certification. They also have to agree to other promises such as a guarantee that no child labour will be used.

I mean, they sell 1 BILLION of these candy bars in Britain alone and it’s the number one brand both as a confectionery item and as a biscuit there as well…that’s a ton of chocolate. Slowly but surely, world…

Nestlé makes the candy bar in most countries but in the US, it’s a Hershey’s product so this ethical improvement is not applicable to American Kit Kat’s.

When it comes to the rest of the world’s Kit Kat’s, the variety is ridiculous. Of course, Japan leads in the limited edition flavors and also wins for having the weirdest flavors. Duh. The pic above shows Red Azuki Bean (sweetened red beans) and Sakura or Cherry Blossom Kit Kat. What??? Check out this long list (Soy Sauce Kit Kat? Watermelon & Salt Kit Kat? Apple Vinegar Kit Kat?):

• Pickled Plum: Japan
• Bubblegum: Japan (made with blue chocolate)
• Mango: Japan. (made with yellow chocolate)
• Rose: Japan
• Lemon vinegar: Japan
• Kit Kat Fine Dark — UK, Spain & Germany variant of Kit Kat Dark Chocolate
• Kit Kat Cacao 61% — Japan — newer version of Kit Kat Bitter with 61% cocoa content
• Kit Kat Sakura (Cherry blossom) — Japan —
• Kit Kat Cacao 72% — Japan — dark chocolate petits with 72% cocoa content
• Kit Kat White Creme — US permanent edition — current version of US Kit Kat White made with vegetable oil based candy coating rather than pure white chocolate
• Kit Kat White — Japan & Spain
• Kit Kat Iced Tea — Japan
• Kit Kat Wasabi — Japan
• Kit Kat Caramel and Salt — Japan
• Kit Kat Cucumber — Japan
• Kit Kat Kinako (soybean flour) — Japan
• Kit Kat Wa Guri (Chestnut flavour) — Japan
• Kit Kat Green Tea (Matcha) — Japan
• Kit Kat Milky White — Germany variant of Kit Kat White Chocolate
• Kit Kat Mint — UK permanent edition, US limited edition — mint flavoured milk chocolate coating
• Kit Kat Mint Chocolate — Australia — mint green colour wafers
• Kit Kat Apple — Japan
• Kit Kat Orange — UK permanent edition, US, Japan, Malaysia limited edition.
• Kit Kat International Recipe — Malaysia, Singapore and selected East Asian countries — The chocolate was made from Ghana cocoa beans and thus had the tendency to melt down very easily when compared to Kit Kat Original.
• Kit Kat Café Latte with Hokkaidō Milk — Japan
• Kit Kat Kiwifruit — Japan
• Kit Kat Strawberry — Japan
• Kit Kat Peach — Japan
• Kit Kat Caramac — UK
• Kit Kat Chocolate Overload — Australia — Milk Chocolate outside, chocolate creme filling and chocolate wafers
• Kit Kat Gold — Japan — petits with fudge-like covering and dusted cocoa powder on outside
• Kit Kat Noisette (Hazelnut) — Germany
• Kit Kat Lite — India — two finger bar with 50% less sugar
• Kit Kat Carb Alternatives — US — low carb version with 50% less sugar carbs
• Kit Kat Low Carb — UK
• Kit Kat Cantaloupe; Japan
• Kit Kat Pineapple; South Africa
• Kit Kat Cappuccino; Poland & UK
• Kit Kat Triple Berry; Japan
• Kit Kat Mango; Japan
• Kit Kat Azuki (Red Bean); Japan
• Kit Kat Green Grape Muscat; Japan
• Kit Kat Caramel Macchiato; Japan (September 2008)
• Kit Kat Zunda – mashed edamame beans; Japan (only in Yamagata prefecture)
• Kit Kat Beet; Japan (only in Hokkaido prefecture)
• Kit Kat Hascapp – Hokkaido blueberry; Japan (only in Hokkaido prefecture)
• Kit Kat Soy Sauce – “Tokyo Limited Edition” ; Japan
• Kit Kat Yakimorokoshi – grilled corn; Japan (only in Hokkaido prefecture)
• Kit Kat Jyagaimo – potato; Japan (only in Hokkaido prefecture)
• Kit Kat Daigakuimo – candied sweet potato; Japan
• Kit Kat Kobe pudding – “Kobe Limited Edition” ; Japan
• Kit Kat Houjicha – Japanese roasted tea ; Japan
• Kit Kat Kokuto – Black sugar ; Japan
• Kit Kat Watermelon and Salt ; Japan
• Kit Kat Pumpkin ; Japan
• Kit Kat Edamame (Soybean) ; Japan
• Kit Kat Banana; Canada
• Kit Kat Lemon Chocolate ; Japan (Valentine’s limited edition)
• Kit Kat Cookies & Chocolate ; Japan
• Kit Kat Cookies PLUS ; Japan
• Kit Kat Dark Chocolate; Italy
• Kit Kat White Chocolate; Italy
• Kit Kat Apple Vinegar; Japan
• Kit Kat Veggie; Japan