Nutella is the tempting and sweet cocoa-hazelnut spread consumed by people all over the globe for breakfast and dessert. It is an original hazelnut-cocoa combo that has inspired many brands to produce similar products, but Nutella remains exceptionally popular in the chocolate spread industry. Nutella’s popularity makes it a preferred chocolate confection for ice creams, cocktails, milkshakes, and baked goods.
It’s difficult to find a household without a jar of Nutella on the breakfast table! Interestingly, different countries have produced their own versions of Nutella. With various ratios of sugar, hazelnuts, and cocoa powder, many countries have their own iterations, and each one is mouthwatering! In the United States, sugar and palm oil are the main ingredients besides hazelnuts and cocoa powder.
Given the high content of hazelnuts in Nutella, people consider it a healthy snack. Some use it as a substitute for nut butter, jams, and jelly.
History of Nutella
Ferrero is an Italian company that manufactures Nutella globally. They introduced the first iteration of Nutella in 1963, and within a year, the company was selling it commercially.
The roots of Nutella lie in the small Italian town called Alba, famous for hazelnut production. Pietro Ferrero was a bakery owner in this town who used hazelnuts to make a homogenous product, Pasta Gianduja. At first, Gianduja was a solid confection but later was sold in a creamy version, Supercrema Gianduja.
Michele Ferrero, Pietro’s son, was the visionary who modified the recipe for Supercrema Gianduja and planned to sell it across Europe. The new version of Gianduja was called “Nutella.”
1964 marked the success of Nutella’s introduction in the European market. The following decades made it a global success with multiple manufacturing countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, and Australia.
Nutella Ingredients
.Sugar
.Modified palm oil
.Hazelnuts
.Cocoa powder
.Skimmed milk powder
.Whey powder
.Soy lecithin
.Vanillin
While the chocolate confection is promoted as a healthy hazelnut and cocoa spread, there’s more palm oil and sugar than those two ingredients. Nutella has 58% of processed sugar, followed by a high content of palm oil. The manufacturing company uses 100% RSPO-certified palm oil. It is sustainable and easy to trace back to the mills.
As for the other ingredients, Nutella manufacturers are the true experts in the field of hazelnuts. They have spent more than 50 years building a legacy around keeping the hazelnuts fresh for the production of Nutella. From checking the hazelnuts for quality to roasting and grinding them into a paste, each process is carried out meticulously.
The cocoa beans used for Nutella are 100% certified and sourced from West Africa. The company promotes sustainable farming practices with the help of the Ferrero Farming Values Cocoa Program. It results in income diversification and better cocoa productivity for the company. The beans are transported to Ferrero factories, where they are transformed into cocoa powder after a 4-step process.
Interesting Things to Know about Nutella!
Italian Law Prohibits You from Calling It “Chocolate Cream”
Did you know there’s a minimum requirement for cocoa solids? Different chocolate products have their own standard for the amount of cocoa. Surprisingly, Nutella does not meet any of those minimum requirements. So, you cannot call it chocolate cream!
A law has been passed in Italy that prohibits the use of “chocolate cream” for Nutella. If you want to call it something other than Nutella, you can use the phrase “hazelnut cream.”
Each Jar Contains about 50 Hazelnuts
Ferrero is the biggest brand that uses hazelnuts to produce its cocoa product. The company utilizes 25% of the global supply of hazelnuts, leading to the assumption that each jar of Nutella contains about 50 hazelnuts! Although the taste may be baffling, it does not disappoint Nutella lovers!
Someone Tried to Name Their Kid “Nutella”
In 2015, a judge had to stop a French couple from naming their kid Nutella. The couple wanted their baby girl to have a unique name, and that’s what they chose! Thankfully, the judge understood the level of mockery and humiliation the kid would be subject to throughout her life. The name was then shortened to “Ella.”
You Can Celebrate “World Nutella Day”
Imagine having an entire day where you can consume Nutella for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Before 2007, it was a dream of many people, but thankfully, a Nutella enthusiast introduced World Nutella Day. It is celebrated on February 5th by all the fans across the globe who have loved Nutella for decades.
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