Why Japanese Dark Chocolate KitKats Are Marketed Toward Adults

Japan is home to several creative chocolate candies like Pocky and the Lotte chocolate pies, but one brand carries a special reputation in the United States and overseas. The iconic, splittable KitKat wafers are a delight anywhere in the world, and you'll notice a few key differences in each country's packaging. For instance, KitKat Japan has a flavor specifically marketed toward adults.

The dark chocolate KitKats in Japan come in a sleek black wrapper with "otona no amasa" written on the front, which translates to "sweetness for adults." This might seem confusing at first, considering that there isn't any alcohol or caffeine added to the recipe. Rather, the marketing appeals to a mature audience with a developed palate because these store-bought dark chocolates are far too bitter for most children to enjoy. Young children are indeed predisposed in their biology to reject bitter tastes at first. No wonder dark chocolate is considered a refined, or even romantic, gift among adults — little ones just don't like it.

KitKat Japan has gone out of its way to label the dark chocolate as mature because most of its flavors do appeal to children. Students will often receive KitKats as a gift whenever they have upcoming exams, and they'll likely appreciate a sweet treat more than a bitter one. Kit-Kat is pronounced as "kitto katto" in Japan, which sounds similar to "kitto katsu." The word "kitto" means "surely," and "katsu" means "win." Gifting a KitKat to a student is a way of saying, "you will surely succeed!" This is also why some people eat katsu cutlet dishes before important events.

You're never too old for candy, so perhaps KitKat's dark chocolate is a way to encourage working professionals to succeed as well. Other flavors such as matcha, white chocolate, raspberry, and strawberry have been featured in the "sweetness for adults" line because they're also less sweet than the standard KitKat array. While Japan has exclusive flavors you won't be able to find in the United States, you can make KitKats at home with three simple ingredients.