European chocolate lovers are about to get an injection of Japanese culture, as Nestle’s green-tea matcha KitKat launches across the continent.

Nestle has agreed to sell its US confectionery unit to Ferrero, the Italian maker of Nutella, for $2.8bn (€2.3bn) in the Swiss food giant’s first major divestment since chief executive Mark Schneider took the helm last year.

Nestle has recalled a batch of its KitKat Bites and warned people with nut or peanut allergies to be "especially vigilant" after incorrectly packaging the chocolates.

Nestlé’s flagship confectionery brand KitKat® will contain extra milk and extra cocoa from this week as Nestlé continues efforts to reduce sugar.

In move that’s sure to get munchers of one of Ireland’s favourite snacks muttering, the biggest redesign of KitKat wrappers in the chocolate bar’s 80-year history has been announced as part of an ad campaign.

ENGLAND: A thieving worker would have a break and a KitKat — before stealing small bundles of cash he hid inside the empty chocolate wrappers.