SWITZERLAND/UK: Can cheesecake variety revive Kit Kat sales?

Nestlé Rowntree is considering launching a lemon cheesecake variety of its popular Kit Kat bar in the UK.

The flavour is already available in other markets, including Germany and Japan.

Kit Kat UK sales dropped by 9.1% from US$250.9m to $227.9m in the 12 months to October 2003, and the new variety is being considered as part of a campaign to stop the rot, new managing director Chris White told Marketing magazine.

White is concerned that the brand’s advertising is missing its target. “Our challenge is to make advertising that will get more people to buy more product at a higher price, to make more money for ourselves and our retail customers,” he commented.