Understanding kJ, kcal, and cal
Three units of energy appear on food labels and in nutrition literature. The kilocalorie (kcal) is the familiar "Calorie" on US food labels — note the capital C. It is the energy required to raise 1 kg of water by 1°C. The kilojoule (kJ) is the SI unit of energy used in Australian, European, and scientific contexts. The conversion factor is 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ, derived from the specific heat capacity of water. The small calorie (cal, lowercase) is 1/1000 of a kcal and appears mainly in chemistry; it is never used on food labels.
A standard adult daily energy intake of around 2,000 kcal is approximately 8,368 kJ. The Australian dietary guidelines recommend 8,700 kJ for an average adult, which is almost exactly 2,079 kcal — close enough that "roughly 2,000 kcal" and "roughly 8,700 kJ" refer to the same target. When reading imported food labels, always check which unit is being used for the headline number.