Chocolate goes pink in Japan

A Kitkat pink chocolate bar.

This Valentine’s Day, lovers in Japan can present the object of their affection with a world first — naturally bright pink chocolate.

The KitKat store in the glitzy shopping area of Ginza in Tokyo is a riot of wall-to-wall pink.

And the salespeople have chosen their moment wisely: Valentine’s Day is massive business in Japan.

The colour comes from ruby cocoa “that can be found in normal plantations”, said Akiko Hara said, a manager for Swiss Group Barry Callebaut in Japan. No additives are used, he said.