A vending machine in the Japan Rail Kyoto station can create limited edition ‘Travel Memories Kit Kat’ for customers, which can also be mailed with the addition of a stamp and the address.
Only available until April 2018, it is targeted at tourists who want to create a memorable souvenir of their trip or send a unique memento to friends and family. The packaging even contains a special ‘photo stand’ that enables it to be displayed.
The use of the machine costs just 400 yen (US$3.51) including the Matcha Kit Kat. Users just have to connect their phone or memory card to the machine.
Kit Kat started to offer packaging with customised photos and messages from 2010, with the service called Choco Labo, or chocolate lab.
Test run
Nestle Japan said that it has received tens of thousands of orders per year and the customised Kit Kats are popular as gifts for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and Valentine’s Day.
This is the first time it is deployed in a quick and easy-to-use self-service machine.
Nestle Japan stated, based on the results of this “test introduction” in Kyoto, they will consider deploying the machine nationwide in the near future, as well as increasing available flavours.
Kit Kat is hugely popular in Japan, with a recent sushi version causing a stir with shoppers. Previous versions have also included sake and wasabi flavours.