The sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread made by Ferrero was originally a thick paste sold in sticks
In 1942, Pietro Ferrero opened a confectionery workshop in Alba (Cuneo). There, he worked incessantly to create original products that were both innovative and economical. After World War II, cocoa was extremely scarce. However, in 1946, Ferrero turned this tricky problem into a smart solution by developing a recipe made with sugar, hazelnuts, and just a little of the rare cocoa. His creation was the precursor of what today is globally known as Nutella.
Pietro Ferrero decided to invest in his first factory in Alba and founded the industry that still bears his name
He called the sweet paste Gianduja or Giandujot paste after a traditional carnival character of Piedmont. It was shaped into a loaf packaged in foil that could easily be transported, sliced, and spread on bread. The product had a great local success and it was soon requested in other areas too. So much that the workshop was not able to meet the demand. Thus, on May 14th, 1946, with his wife Piera, Pietro decided to invest in his first factory in Alba and founded the industry that still bears his name. Only three years later, Pietro died leaving his wife, son, and brother in charge of the company’s destiny and future. In 1951, the Giandujot paste was transformed into a creamy new product that was easier to spread. This took the name of SuperCrema and began to be sold in jars; another major stepping stone on the path of success.
In 1951, the Giandujot paste was transformed into a creamy new product that was easier to spread
The recipe was further improved in 1964, leading to the creation of the first-ever jar of hazelnut and cocoa cream. In the same year, the trademark was registered and Nutella was officially born. Since then, very few changes have been made to the recipe and, still today, the ingredient list is quite short. Indeed, Nutella contains 57% sugar, 20% palm oil, 13% hazelnuts, 8.7% skim milk powder, 7.4% cocoa, soy lecithin, and synthetic vanillin. Thanks to his intuition, Michele Ferrero decided to present it in glass cups and glasses. A marketing vision that turned the functional into collectible and contributed to the popularity of one of the most internationally renowned Italian products.