Nutella World

Book excerpt: The story behind everyone’s favorite snack—Nutella. Nutella has its roots in a simple hazelnut and chocolate paste sold as Pasta Gianduja by Pietro Ferrero at his bakery in Alba, the center of Italy’s hazelnut-producing region in the Piedmont. While originally sold as a solid block, Ferrero started offering a creamy version called Supercrema in 1951. In 1964, Ferrero’s son Michele reformulated Supercrema and launched it throughout Europe as Nutella—a name easy to understand and remember in the greatest number of languages. Nutella was an instant hit and is one of the first Italian products to have spread across the world.On the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary, Gigi Padovani, a Nutella expert and enthusiast, traces the history and evolution of Nutella, including the rise of an almost cult following and its celebration in pop culture, ranging from movies to literature. He then analyzes the key moments of the industry’s strategies—innovation, internationalization, a good relationship with the consumers—which have made Nutella a legend to this day. This is a lesson that excellence lasts.