7 Facts about Nutella that You Probably Didn't Know

Monday, February 5^th was World Nutella Day and here at Essential Italy we love the decadent, rich flavours of the hazelnut spread which is the perfect accompaniment to a range of foods, as well as by itself for the ultimate indulgence. Universally recognisable, Nutella’s growth shows no signs of stopping. In fact, last year alone the company invoiced €10.3 billion, which is a growth of almost 10%.

On your next stay at one of our Italian villas, why not grab yourself some Nutella to enjoy?! Whether you’re a spoon-in-the-jar kind of person or someone who is more than happy to go without, it’s hard to deny its cult status around the world; with personalised jars on offer to jumbo 1kg pots also available to purchase, people across the globe seemingly can’t get enough of the chocolate and hazelnut combination.

Here’s seven facts about Nutella that you probably didn’t already know:

1. The first jar of Nutella was sold in Alba, Piedmont by Pietro Ferrero. Ferrero’s company, Ferrero SpA, also created other popular confectionery including Tic Tac’s, Kinder chocolate and Ferrero Rocher. With an extensive catalogue of sweet items under his belt, Nutella’s inventor at the time of his death in 2015 had amassed a fortune of $26 billion, making him Italy’s richest man. It’s no surprise that Nutella is loved worldwide. However, with one jar selling every 2.5 seconds, enough of the hazelnut spread is sold each year that you could circle the globe with it 1.8 times! Furthermore, the amount that is produced over the calendar weighs the same amount as the Empire State building.
2. The company which creates Nutella, Ferrero SpA, uses a quarter of the world’s supply of hazelnuts, with one jar using around 50.
3. Nutella has gone through several changes to be the sweet spread that we enjoy today. In 1946, Ferrero created a hazelnut-based product that came in a solid block. In the second world war, it was found that there was a shortage of chocolate, so adding hazelnuts to his chocolate mixture increased the quantities that he had. However, he later decided to make some changes to the recipe in order for it to have a creamy consistency. This was named Supercrema and was sold by Ferrero for 12 years. It wasn’t until his son later decided to revamp the recipe that it was given the name Nutella.
4. In the 1960s, the popularity of Nutella in Italy was at an all-time high. If a child were to go to a market with a slice of bread, people working on stalls would provide the child with a thin layer of the spread over it. This later went on to be known as “The Smearing”.
5. World Nutella Day has just been celebrated for the 11th time. Created by American blogger Sara Rosso it is now acknowledged worldwide, with retailers introducing Nutella-themed offers for you to enjoy on the day.
6. The main ingredient in Nutella isn’t hazelnut or chocolate; it’s sugar. In fact, each tablespoon of the spread has 100 calories! However, if you’re looking for a reason to tuck in, there are 20 grams of protein per jar.
7. In 2017, thieves in Germany managed to steal 20 tonnes of Nutella, making away with the refrigerated trailer that it was stored in. This isn’t the first time that people have stolen Nutella; in 2013, five tonnes were stolen in a similar heist.

Although World Nutella Day has been and gone, pancake day is today and here at Essential Italy we love indulging in a Nutella-topped pancake. What’s your dream pancake topping? We would love to know so share your pictures and images with us on social media this Shrove Tuesday.