Swiss food giant Nestlé said around 12 tonnes of its KitKat chocolate bars — equivalent to 413,793 units — were stolen from a shipment traveling from Italy to Poland earlier this week.
The company said the truck carrying the consignment went missing after leaving its production facility, and both the vehicle and its cargo remain untraceable.
The theft highlights growing concerns over cargo security in Europe, with companies warning of increasingly sophisticated criminal operations targeting supply chains.
According to the company, the shipment was destined for distribution across European markets when it disappeared during transit between production and delivery points.
“The vehicle and its load are still nowhere to be found,” Nestlé said in a statement.
The company warned that the stolen chocolate bars could potentially enter unofficial sales channels, raising concerns for retailers and consumers.
However, Nestlé said all products can be traced through unique batch codes printed on individual bars, allowing identification if they surface in the market.
A spokesperson for KitKat said consumers, wholesalers and retailers can verify products by scanning batch numbers on packaging, which would indicate whether the item is part of the stolen shipment.
“If a match is found, clear instructions will be provided to alert the company,” the spokesperson said, adding that appropriate action would then follow.
While making light of the situation, the company also underscored the seriousness of cargo theft.
“Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” the statement said.
Nestlé said it decided to make the case public to raise awareness about what it described as a growing criminal trend affecting logistics networks.
