Kit Kat USA: same name as in Europe, but not the same chocolate — and flavors you can't find here!

Where does Kit Kat really come from?

Surprise: Kit Kat isn't American, or even Swiss. It was born in England, in York, in 1935, under the name "Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp." The idea came from a worker at the Rowntree factory who'd dropped a note in the suggestion box wishing for a "chocolate bar a man could take to work in his lunch pail." Two years later, the bar took the name Kit Kat. And in 1957 the legendary slogan was born: "Have a break, have a Kit Kat."

Here's where it gets interesting: since the 1970s, the Kit Kat sold in the United States has been made under license by Hershey, while in the rest of the world it's produced by Nestlé. When Nestlé bought Rowntree in 1988, Hershey kept its right to make the bar in the USA. The result: there are two different Kit Kats depending on the continent. The fun detail? It's the same factory — the H.B. Reese Candy Company — that makes American Kit Kats and Reese's.

Did you know the US Kit Kat doesn't taste like the European one?

It's not just in your head. Hershey's American chocolate has more sugar, while European chocolate leans on more cocoa and fat, which makes it creamier. So the US Kit Kat is noticeably sweeter and has that distinctive Hershey chocolate taste. For an American pop-food fan, tasting a US Kit Kat means discovering a familiar product in a whole new light.

American Kit Kat flavors at MYAM

This is where the US Kit Kat makes all the difference. Beyond the classic, Americans get flavor editions you'll never find in Europe. The Birthday Cake with its colorful sprinkles, the Chocolate Frosted Donut that nails the glazed-donut taste, the tangy Lemon Crisp, the creamy Vanilla, and the Duos Mint Dark Chocolate pairing mint and dark chocolate. Crispy wafers dressed up in unlikely, addictive flavors.

And for Halloween, Kit Kat pulls out all the stops with its wild snack-size editions: Ghost Toast and Breaking Bones, perfect for decorating an American party or handing out to trick-or-treaters. Not forgetting the classic Snack Size format and the Miniatures for endless snacking.

Did you know? Japan is crazy about Kit Kat

A little culture break: if the United States has its exclusive flavors, Japan holds the absolute record with over 300 Kit Kat flavors created over the years — wasabi, matcha tea, sweet potato, sake... Kit Kat has even become a good-luck charm there, because "Kit Kat" sounds like "kitto katsu," which means "you'll surely win" in Japanese. We're drifting away from America, but you have to admit it's a great story.

A tasty tip: Kit Kat dessert-style

Break a few Kit Kat bars into pieces and fold them into a brownie batter just before baking. Out of the oven, the wafers keep their crunch in the middle of the gooey brownie. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. That crunchy-gooey contrast is seriously good.

Where to find American Kit Kats?

US Kit Kat flavors are hard to find in regular stores. My American Market, your online American grocery store, hunts down the exclusive editions straight from the USA. And since you love American chocolate, take a look at the Reese's and Hershey's in the shop!