Nestlé celebrate the 75th anniversary of KitKat

But some years later, Mary began to sell cocoa and her company was eventually taken over by one Henry Isaac Rowntree.

Back then the ingredients came from Hull Docks to Tanner’s Moat near Lendal Bridge in York, and by 1881 the cocoa firm decided to branch out with the introduction of Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles, quickly followed by Fruit Gums.

Then, 75 years ago, they brought out the Chocolate Crisp, later re-christened KitKat. It remains one of most pieces of confectionery on the planet, and to mark the landmark anniversary, Nestlé – which bought Rowntree in 1988 – is offering a dream prize for chocoholics: a Willy Wonka day out at their factory.

Lee Steel, Nestlé’s HR Business Partner, gave The Press a sneak preview of what’s on offer – and it’s truly scrumptious.

This is a confectionery wonderland. Row after mouth-watering row of KitKats trundle down the conveyor belt, and their aroma triggers emergency messages from your stomach: feed me now.

“The reason we are celebrating this year is the 75th anniversary of both KitKat and Aero,” says Lee.

“This factory has always had an important part to play in York’s community and historically most people would have worked here or down the road at Terry’s. So we want to give something back and celebrate by offering readers of The Press the chance to come and see how we make chocolate.”

Nestlé does not do many such visits because they can be difficult to arrange, thanks to hygiene standards and safety in the plant. So this is a rare treat for four children and their families to spend an interactive day finding out about Nestlé’s approach to chocolate making. Sensory testing, a tour of the plant and even making KitKats by hand complete the itinerary.

And there will be a bumper bag of goodies to take home.

“For me KitKat is very special because it is an iconic brand for the UK and one of the main reasons Nestlé was attracted to Rowntree,” says Lee.

“It’s also what KitKat means to people who have grown up with it. You might not be able to remember your first one, but you probably couldn’t remember a time when you didn’t know about them.”

Sean Conricode has been working at the factory man and boy for 33 years. Now he is one of the chocolate specialists and today’s tour guide. They take hygiene seriously here and the first door Sean opens declares “safety is not a target; it’s a way of life”. He hands me a white coat, a hair net and a pair of steel tipped boots – just in case.

Soap dispensers and sinks are everywhere and as workers enter the factory, it is second nature for them to wash their hands thoroughly. There are some clever ideas as well, such as the blue ear plugs. That, says Sean, is because the colour isn’t found in the food making process and a rogue one would be instantly spotted. Not much chance of that though, the plugs are joined together by a plastic wire.

First stop is the kitchen where Sean explains how Nestlé makes its chocolate – apart from the trade secrets that is. “Our cocoa pods are harvested in Africa, mainly the Ivory Coast, and sliced open to reveal the cocoas beans. Then they are fermented in the sun, drained off and bagged by the farmers.”

The two essential ingredients are cocoa butter, which must be added by law and gives chocolate its texture. Then there is cocoa liquor which is very dark, intense flavoured chocolate. Finally he adds sugar and milk crumb.

In the factory this is done on a vast scale because in York, three million KitKats roll off the line each day and the factory uses an incredible 82 million litres of milk a year. But in the kitchen you can learn how to make your own bar by hand.

Sean also told me Nestlé does something special with the milk crumb to give its chocolate a unique flavour. But I’m sworn to secrecy, so if you want to find out what the secret is, you will need to enter our competition.

Sean modestly says chocolate is only ever as good as the beans used, but watching his expert handling of the stuff, you can tell that is only half the story.

“We are true confectioners and understand exactly how to make chocolate using closely guarded secret recipes,” he says. “The first thing you have to do with the cocoa beans is to remove the shell, then you are left with the middle of the bean – or nib – which we roast and grind to develop the flavour and that’s the cornerstone of cocoa processing on the York site.” 2001 was a turning point for KitKat bar with the introduction of chunky which revolutionised the brand and grew sales into other sectors of the market. But two years later the popularity of low-carb diets and the push to healthier eating threatened to stifle sales growth in many parts of the world. But Nestlé fought back and increased the number of new and unique variations of the bar, many as special editions.

Now you can also buy KitKat caramel, orange, mint and dark. But if you are really lucky the company will give you some for nothing as they guide you through the complexities of chocolate making.

So what are you waiting for? Get those entry forms in the post and, fingers crossed, you can look forward to a day in chocolate heaven, right here in the centre of York.

Win a VIP day out at Nestlé

TO CELEBRATE the 75th anniversary of KitKat and Aero, Nestlé is offering a VIP day out for four children and their families (maximum of five members) to spend an interactive day at the factory in York. The minimum age for contestants is seven and tours will take place at a date to be arranged.

To enter, answer this simple question: What are the two essential ingredients for making chocolate?

Send your entries to: Paula Homer, The Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN. Entrants must be aged 18 or over.

• Entries to reach us by September 10.

• Nestlé terms and conditions.

1.There is a maximum of five people permitted in each family group.

2.Family groups must include at least two members aged 18 or over. The minimum age for guests is seven. If the winner is not the parent / guardian then parental / guardian permission must be obtained prior to the tour taking place.

3.The exact date will be confirmed no later than September 14. Unavailability on the date will result in forfeiture of the prize.

4.The VIP day consists of: a factory tour, tasting session and a chance to make your own KitKats. Nestlé will provide lunch and drinks at the factory.

5.During the factory tour, participants must wear protective clothing and remove any jewellery apart from one wedding band. No high heels are permitted. Health and safety guidelines must be adhered to at all times.

6.By entering the promotion, prize winners acknowledge that they may be required to participate in publicity relating to the promotion without further consent or payment. Such publicity may include, without limitation, the entrants name and/or image, statements made by the entrants concerning the promotion and/or prizes and photographs or moving images of the entrants or their guests taken as part of the promotion.