Aussie shoppers with a serious sweet tooth are delighted by the latest bulk buy to hit the shelves at Costco Warehouse. In news that's set to give Nutella a run for its money, KitKat has released a spreadable version of its iconic chocolate bar – perfect for smoothing onto bread or incorporating into baking.
Australian food blogger Nectro Vlangos, better known as @nectoriouspapi, shared the rich, gooey and wafer-filled chocolate find in a new Instagram video. 'Run, don't walk to Costco – they've got KitKat spread,' he excitedly revealed in a recent video. The video, which also features fellow Aussie online foodie Jonathan Williams, known online as @dub.eats.everything, sees the pair each holding up a whopping 1.3kg tub, priced at $24.99 each.
'Let's try it,' Nectro said as they popped open the lid and dug into the liquid spread with spoons. Tasting it straight from the tub, both men couldn't help but exclaim how good it is. 'It tastes like melted KitKat,' Nectro described. 'Like a KitKat that's been sitting in your car all day and melted – but it's not warm.'
Costco's Official Announcement
Costco Wholesale Australia also celebrated the arrival of the spreadable version of the popular chocolate bar in a May 1 post shared to their Facebook account. 'BREAKING: KitKat is now a spread,' the enticing post commenced. '1.3kg. Smooth. Chocolatey. Your toast is shaking. Your spoon is sweating. Your self-control never stood a chance,' the post continued. The announcement message confirmed that the KitKat Spread 1.3kg tubs were priced at $24.99 and were now in stores while stocks last.
Social Media Buzz
Both Nectro's video and Costco's Facebook post quickly lit up with replies from intrigued and excited chocolate lovers. 'I need this asap,' one Sydney man declared. 'We need to try this,' another woman added, tagging in her friends. Another KitKat fan bet they 'could eat the whole tub with a spoon'. 'Dangerous,' another declared. 'That looks addictive,' agreed another. 'That is disgusting. Why would you even advertise this? In all seriousness though... How much for a tub and were there many left? Asking for a friend,' one joked, laughing. Several replies simply stated that this was the excuse they needed for a Costco shopping trip. 'I think we need to go back to Costco again soon,' one person thought aloud.
Membership Required
Shopping at Costco requires a paid annual membership, with prices from AU$65 per year. This allows households access to exclusive discounted bulk warehouse shopping as well as fuel and other services. A number of home bakers saw potential in the KitKat spread for incorporating into cakes, cheesecake and biscuits.
Baking Potential
One person mused that the chocolate ingredient 'would be good for biscuits'. 'Imagine using that in the middle of a cake or frosting,' another mused. Another confirmed that they had tried it and that it was 'fab' in a cheesecake recipe. But one realistic home baker chimed in: 'It wouldn't make it to the cake, I'd just be eating it out of the tub.'
Health Concerns and Humour
However, a very small minority of replies had concerns about how this spread aligned with a healthy diet. 'Way too many calories – don't bother,' read one health-conscious reply. 'A heart attack in a tub,' agreed another. 'I think I gained weight watching you guys enjoying this... I'm running but far away from this potentially addictive mess,' one confessed.
Link to Chocolate Heist
Amusingly, a number of replies took a different view on the new bulk size KitKat product – drawing a link between the new Costco item and an infamous chocolate heist that occurred earlier this year. In late March, 413,793 KitKat bars were brazenly stolen in a daring chocolate lorry robbery in Europe. The transport vehicle was en route from central Italy to Poland when thieves managed to intercept the truck and steal its 12 tonnes of chocolate cargo. Accordingly, a number of replies to Costco's newest sweet item speculated on the uncanny connection between the recent chocolate robbery and the sudden appearance of this new bulk buy. 'That is 100 percent the 12 tonnes of KitKat that were stolen in March,' one person joked. 'Blended and relabelled! Genius!' Another agreed: 'Now I know who stole 12,000 tons of KitKat… bloody Costco.' 'Soooooo that's where the KitKat heist went,' another laughingly concluded.
