Nestle is the world's biggest food manufacturer, with well over 500 factories in 85 countries, and a portfolio that ranges from baby foods to pet care, from chocolate to mineral water. Its world-famous brands include Nescafe and Perrier, among many others. The group also owns a large shareholding in cosmetics company L'Oreal. As with other food companies, recent years have seen a greater concentration on a focused food and beverage business, its most successful line is its confectionery section.

Nestle Rowntree is the UK's #3 confectionery company (after Cadbury, and now behind Mars). It has a sizeable portfolio of well-known brands, and just under 18% of the UK confectionery market. By far the biggest brand is Kit Kat, which is also one of the UK's top selling confectionery products (and #11 overall consumer brand).

Rowntree (Nestle) launched KitKat in August 1935 as `Chocolate Crisp'. Renamed twice in 1937 as `KitKat Chocolate Crisp' and in 1949 as...