Nutella is a brand of sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread.
The main ingredients of Nutella are sugar and palm oil (greater than 50%). It also contains hazelnut at 13%, cocoa solids, and skimmed milk. In the United States and the United Kingdom, Nutella contains soy products.
Nutella is marketed as “hazelnut cream” in many countries.
It is available for purchase and consumption in 160 countries.
In the 1940’s the time, there was very little chocolate In Italy. Cocoa was in short supply due to World War II rationing. It was Pietro Ferrero that is credited with inventing a cream of hazelnuts and cocoa and called it Giandujot or Pasta Gianduja. Initially, the product was loaves of bread
with the spread covering the inside. The wrapped in aluminum foil and sliced.
From the start, Nutella spread was well recived, since it was a less expensive way for people to enjoy something that tasted so good… a kilo of chocolate at the time was 6 times the cost of a kilo of Pasta Gianduja. The spread became so popular that Pietro Ferrero started the Ferrero Spa Company and the brand, Ferrero Rocher.
In 1951, the Giandujot paste was transformed into a creamy new product that was easier to spread. It was known as SuperCrema.
In 1964, the recipe was improved, leading to the creation of the first-ever jar of hazelnut and cocoa cream. Nutella was officially born.
In 1965, they launched the famous packaging that you still find in supermarkets today.
In 1966, to celebrate the “Nutella Generation”, Ferrero launched an event in Paris that displayed iconic works of art created by artists who grew up with Nutella. The exhibit featured big names in the art world, including Decouflé, Paco Rabanne and Wolinski.
In 1978, Nutella reached Australia and opened its first plant outside Europe in Lithgow, near Sydney.
In 1983, Nutella reached the United States and was initially ditributed the Northeastern part of the country.
On May 29th, 2005, 27, 854 people in Gelserkirchen, Germany, participated in the “Largest Continental Breakfast Ever” with Nutella.
On February 5, 2007, Italian-American blogger Sara Russo mobilized all Nutella lovers to unite in celebration of the beloved and iconic breakfast hazelnut spread. Since then, World Nutella Day has been celebrated every year since then.
On 14 May 2014, to celebrate Nutella’s 50th birthday, nutellastories.com was created, where Nutella lovers shared 76,400 stories, memories and moments. This birthday was then celebrated in 10 countries with a global event. It was such a special anniversary that Italy even issued a commemorative stamp!
In 2017, the first ever Nutella cafe was created in Chicago!
Ferrero SpA, the maker of Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, uses 25% of the global supply of hazelnuts. The hazelnuts used in Nutella originate from Turkey and Italy, grown mainly by small holders.
There are 52 hazelnuts in every 400 gram (14-ounce) jar of Nutella, according to its advertisements. Hazelnuts make up about 13 percent of the product.
One jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds worldwide.
About 350,000 tonnes of Nutella is produced every year. This amount could be spread over more than 1000 soccer fields.
The Ferrero company also owns Ferrero Rocher, Kinder and Tic Tac mints.