Customarily, Italians grew up eating pane e Nutella – by spreading the creamy chocolate on a simple slice of bread. It is a perfect match and it's usually eaten at breakfast or as a snack. If you want to try this Italian tradition, you can find it at the Nutella Cafe' in University Place.
Well, actually yes, Nutella is today the most consumed and loved spreadable cream in Italy and these data from 2022 confirm it: In the sample of Italians who were questioned, they were asked “Do you like Nutella?” 74% answered “I like it” and 26% replied, “I don't like it”.
One of the big reasons that why Italian's love Nutella is the ease of eating it – no matter where you are in Italy you will be able to find it in every cafe & shop! Italian's start their morning a little different to how Americans start their morning.
According to Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli, Italian Nutella is “far more delicious and more hazelnut forward.” While the ingredients are mostly the same, the Italian version lists 13% hazelnut and 7.4% cocoa powder as two of the ingredients. The American version excludes these numbers on the food label.
There are endless ways to enjoy Nutella, but some of our favorites include on toast, in oatmeal, as a dip for fresh fruit, and in crepes.
Last, but certainly not least, Nutella on a spoon! One spoonful and you won't be able to stop. This is hands down the best way to eat Nutella and is sure to cheer you up no matter what. At the end of the day, there really isn't anything better than Nutella.
Originally sold as a solid block, Ferrero started to sell a creamy version in 1951 as Supercrema gianduja. In 1963, Ferrero's son Michele Ferrero revamped Supercrema gianduja with the intention of marketing it throughout Europe. Its composition was modified, and it was renamed "Nutella".
As mentioned by other people, at least in France, Nutella is generally eaten at breakfast or as a snack ("goûter" in France), and of course in crêpes.
The French eat a LOT of Nutella
While most of the world loves Nutella, France is particularly keen on it. The country reportedly eats a quarter of all the pots that are produced. That's about 75,000 tonnes of Nutella eaten in France each year.
Each day 1.35 million pounds of Nutella are produced
According to the Ferrero company's statistics, France is considered to be the largest consumer of Nutella in the world where over 25% of the world's production is consumed and produced each year.
In Germany a kilogram of Nutella costs 5.06 euros on average. In France the same jar will set you back 5.45 euros, and in Britain, about 5.78 euros. But it is in Italy, the birthplace of the spread invented by Pietro Ferrero in 1946, that Nutella costs the most, at 6.65 euros per kilogram.
Thicker and nuttier
According to Nutella enthusiasts, there are some differences. Both Serious Eats and Jim Webster of The Washington Post contend that the European version of Nutella is less sweet and has more hazelnuts.
It might sound strange, but Nutella pizza is commonly served as a dessert in Italian pizzerias. The dough is cooked by itself, completely white, before being topped with hazelnut spread. This is a great and easy way to end a homemade pizza party!
In 1964, following the death of his father, the son of Pietro Ferrero, Michele, created a new recipe for the SuperCrema: the first jar of Nutella was born. Nutella spread from only Italy to across Europe. Germany fell in love with the spread and lead to its cultural diffusion across the eastern hemisphere.
HISTORY OF FERRERO IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Today, we employ over 300 people across our commercial operations in Australia and New Zealand and our factory in Lithgow, New South Wales. Tic Tac and NUTELLA® have been proudly made in Lithgow for over 40 years.
Ferrero, originally from Piedmont in Italy, turned this tricky problem into a smart solution by creating a sweet paste made from hazelnuts, sugar and just a little of the rare cocoa. The precursor to Nutella® was born!
In 1964, the first jar of what we now call Nutella was sold from a bakery in Alba, Piedmont. Not long after, the chocolate-hazelnut spread would conquer the entire world. But the unusual and sometimes controversial history of the world-famous spread might surprise even its most dedicated fans.
And to this day I have pronounced 'Nutella' like most other Aussies – when I'm reading my shopping list, in my head it's NA-TELL-AH. But it seems I've been wrong all along. According to the Nutella website, the delicious hazelnut and cocoa spread is pronounced NEW-TELL-UH. Yep that's right – “New-tell-uh”.
Ferrero had to keep the letter N in black due to trademark issues. There was another brand that used the name Nutella. So, to keep it different, he changed the colour of the letter 'N'. This was the year (1964) when our beloved Nutella came into existence.
Usage notes
Nutella is one of a small number of German nouns which can or historically could have all three genders; see the appendix. The masculine gender is rare and only used in some regions.
Not only do you get refined sugar from Nutella, you also get about 11g of fat with 3.5g of it being saturated fat. The combination of saturated fat and sugar also puts you at a greater risk of developing heart disease. Soy Lecithin and Vanillin: These are probably the most dangerous ingredients found in Nutella.
How should Nutella® be stored? Nutella® should be stored at room temperature between 18-24 °C (between 64 and 75°F). Keep the container tightly closed and store in a cool, dry place to maintain maximum flavor. Do not refrigerate Nutella®, otherwise it will harden and become difficult to spread.