Nutella is a well-known, creamy chocolate-and-hazelnut spread that tastes amazing on practically anything. Even though it is heavily loved by millions, we need to take a step back and understand—what is Nutella?
Inside
Who would’ve thought that hazelnuts, cocoa, vanillin, sugar, palm oil, lecithin and milk would be deliciously compatible. That’s why it’s such a big deal. The spread is like no other (sorry strawberry and grape jelly.)
Nutella has been mixed in pancakes, muffins, used on warm toast, etc. It’s no longer just a breakfast spread—it’s a diverse spread.
A Somewhat Brief History
During WWII, there was a shortage of cocoa supplies and abundant amounts of hazelnuts in Italy. A pastry maker from the Piedmont region of Italy named Pietri Ferrero (creator of Ferrero Rocher) took this opportunity to experiment.
The Ferrero Company was found on May 14, 1946 after he invented a pastry made of cocoa and hazelnuts. He shaped it into a loaf that could be sliced and served on bread. It’s original name was “Giandujot”, after a famous local carnival character.
In 1951, Giandujot was turned into a spread and called it SuperCrema.
In 1964, Ferrero’s son, Michele, invented the first ever jar and switched its name to Nutella. The next year, Nutella started making it’s way across the European nations, hitting Germany first and France second. Later in 1978, it traveled to Australia.
The love for Nutella spread worldwide and people started to notice. Sara Rosso, an Italo-American blogger, definitely noticed the hype. Rosso was also a Nutella lover and decided to dedicate one day a year to it.
Nutella lovers across the world gathered on February 5, 2007 (World Nutella Day) to celebrate this awesome invention as well as spread the word to those who didn’t get the good news.
As of May 31, 2017, a Nutella Cafe opened in Chicago, making it Ferrero’s first-owned and operated restaurant. Yay!
Celebration Time
After 50+ years, the love for Nutella continues to thrive, and we couldn’t be more proud. People are spreading the word of what is Nutella, and it’s being seen almost everywhere.
There’s a Starbucks Secret Menu drink that tastes just like Nutella, if made right. Plus, the Cheesecake Factory has a Nutella cheesecake. Woot Woot!
Now that we know what Nutella is, let’s raise a glass of cocoa: here’s to many more years of cocoa and hazelnuts collaborating and indulging our taste buds.