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During the great lockdown of 2020, I discovered a tiny little indulgence that helped me have my coffee, or gahwa — and eat it, too.

The KitKat Arabic coffee was on my grocery list each time I rushed to the market. During those frenzied and dazed days, I would break off a piece and eat it. All would be good in the world, if only for a moment.

The familiar crispy wafer, smothered in smooth, silky milk chocolate, now tastes even better. Infused with cardamom-flavoring, it is the perfect blend of sweet and Saudi.

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest consumers of coffee and achieving self-sufficiency in its production is a goal of Vision 2030.

The Kingdom designated 2022 as the “Year of Saudi Coffee,” but I guess Nestle did not get the memo. The KitKat Arabic coffee has been a staple in my travel bag over the past two years.

On a recent trip outside of the Kingdom, I took a box of them with me and handed them out to my Arab friends after hanging out with them. They said it tasted like their childhood wrapped in a blanket of home.

Everyone was ecstatic to bite into the product and all immediately logged onto their online shopping sites to see if they could order them.

As far as I can tell, the bars are only sold in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Jordan.

KitKat has more than 300 limited-edition seasonal and regional flavors. Produced globally by Nestle, it is one of the most recognizable and loved chocolate bars in the world. With several “fingers,” you can share it — or eat it alone.

This confectionery was first introduced to the market in 1935, making it 87 years old. Its popular tagline, “Have a break, have a KitKat,” is recognized everywhere you go.

While the standard four or two-piece bars are still the biggest sellers, some funky flavors have been introduced down the decades, including cookies and cream, wasabi, and cheesecake. There’s even a cough syrup KitKat — and a roasted tea one.

The Arabic coffee version, like the roasted tea KitKat, does not take time to brew — you just unwrap it to give yourself the perfect break.

The product is available in the chocolate aisle at most supermarkets in Saudi Arabia.