Thieves hijack lorry carrying 400,000 Formula 1 KitKat bars – report
KitKat is the official chocolate partner of Formula 1
More than 400,000 Formula 1-themed KitKat bars were stolen in a lorry hijacking in Europe, it has been reported.
KitKat, a popular Nestle brand, became the official chocolate partner of Formula 1 ahead of the 2025 season. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in this incident, which has left a large quantity of Formula 1 car-themed KitKat bars missing.
Thieves steal 400,000+ Formula 1 KitKat bars
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The Formula 1 and KitKat partnership expanded globally for 2026.
As part of this alliance, a new Formula 1 car-shaped KitKat chocolate bar was created, and recently made widely available for the public to buy.
“We’re delighted to have such a universally recognised and fun brand as KitKat joining us as a partner,” said Formula 1’s chief commercial officer Emily Prazer when the partnership was announced in late 2024.
“They’re universally loved and we can’t wait to see the fantastic experiences they’ll be bringing to our fans at the track and the new audiences they’ll introduce to the sport.”
Unfortunately, thieves have also been alerted.
According to The Athletic, a lorry moving through Europe, between Italy and Poland, which was carrying over 400,000 of these F1 car-themed KitKats, has been hijacked.
It is reported that nobody was hurt in this incident, a welcomed update.
The report adds that the stolen KitKat F1 product can be traced via a batch code.
A KitKat spokesperson, in a statement which has been widely-reported, offered a light-hearted response to the theft, wrapped within addressing a type of incident which is apparently becoming more frequent for businesses.
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“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.
“With more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend.”
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