10 Things You Didn’t Know About Nutella


Whether you love Nutella or think it’s an overrated and completely inappropriate breakfast food, there’s no denying that this chocolatey-hazelnut spread has developed a cult-like following. In celebration of World Nutella Day, here’s a few lesser-known facts about the sweet spread.

1. It’s not pronounced “Nut-ella.”

People have been debating how to pronounce “Nutella” for ages, but the official Nutella site claims the correct pronunciation is new-tell-uh.

2. A genius in Germany created a special lock specifically for Nutella jars.

In 2015, Daniel Schobloch created a Nutella jar lock for die-hard Nutella fans.

“The idea started out as a joke,” Schobloch told The Local in Berlin. “One of my friends was always getting worked up because his children were stealing his Nutella.”

Schobloch designed an acrylic lock for his friend that clamps down on the lid and secures the sides to prevent unwanted fingers from getting into the jar.

The Nutella lock is currently available on Ebay.

3. “Intelligent housewives” are to blame for Nutella-on-toast breakfasts.

According to Nutella World, a “spreadfest” was launched in the 1950s in Italy with Nutella marketed towards “intelligent housewives” who appreciated the spread’s “high-energy value.” During the campaign, kids would bring a slice of bread to their local baker or milkman, and they’d slather their slices with a healthy helping of Nutella for five lira.

4. Cocoa rationing led to the creation of Nutella.

According to the Nutella website, pastry maker Pietro Ferrero added hazelnuts to chocolate to stretch his cocoa supply.

5. There are approximately 97 hazelnuts in every jar.

According to the BBC, Ferrero uses more hazelnuts than any other company in the world. Ferrero alone buys up to 25 percent of the world’s production of hazelnuts each year.

6. The shape of the bottle one key to its success.

To ensure that Nutella would stand out from the crowd, Ferrero decided to go with a functional yet unique jar design. The jar – named the Pelikan – was chosen because the large opening makes it easier for customers to scoop out the gooey goodness.

7. People deep fry Nutella.

You can snag some deep-fried Nutella bites at the Colorado or Oregon State fairs. Or, if you’re feeling a little creative, you can make your own.

8. Chicago and New York have Nutella bars.

Both Eataly locations serve Nutella-infused goods from waffles to coffee.

9. Nutella had a social network before Facebook existed.

In 2003, Nutella had a social network called MyNutella.it. The site had more than 150,000 members who posted photos, artwork, and thoughts dedicated to the brand.

In the mid-2000s, Nutella switched to a site called Nutellaville – a virtual world where members were free to bask in “joy and positive thinking” while holding Nutella picnics in the city center.

Unfortunately, both sites are down today.

10. The super fan who created World Nutella Day received a cease-and-desist letter from Nutella.

In 2007, Sara Rosso – a super Nutella fan – created World Nutella Day. In return, Nutella sent Rosso a cease-and-desist letter asking her to stop using the brand’s name. The company quickly apologized, saying it had sent the letter as part of a “routine procedure in defense of trademarks,” and told Rosso they were grateful for her support.

Ferrero released the following statement about the whole fiasco.

“A positive contact between Ferrero and Sara Rosso, owner of the non-official fan page called World Nutella Day, closed the case. Ferrero wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Sara Rosso for her passion for Nutella, a gratitude it extends to all the fans of the Nutella World Day.”

The problem originally emerged from a “routine procedure in defense of trademarks, activated following improper use of the Nutella trademark within the fan page,” explains the company. But once the solution was found, “we immediately interrupted any time of action. Ferrero considers itself lucky to have such a devoted and loyal fan as Sara Rosso.”

During that time, Rosso agreed to make it clear that the holiday, and her website promoting the holiday, were not officially run by the company. And, so, World Nutella Day was saved.

[Feature Image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

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