Italy celebrates World Nutella Day

Nutella has its own special day on 5 February. World Nutella Day is celebrated in Italy and across the globe on 5 February, with fans posting recipes and pictures on social media of the popular chocolate-hazelnut spread.  The initiative was introduced in 2007 by the US blogger Sara Rosso, who wished to create a celebratory day to unite Nutella fans around the world. Fans can share their Nutella photos, videos and recipes on social media, using the hashtags #WorldNutellaDay and #ShareASmileWithNutella. A brief history of Nutella The story of Nutella is a classic tale of Italian ingenuity born from necessity. It began in Alba, a small town in the northern Piemonte region, during the lean years following the second world war. At the time, cocoa was an expensive luxury, heavily taxed and difficult to import due to post-war shortages. In 1946, a local pastry maker named Pietro Ferrero faced a challenge: how to make chocolate accessible to the masses when chocolate itself was scarce. He looked to a regional tradition from the Napoleonic era called gianduja, which used the abundant local Langhe hazelnuts to stretch a small amount of cocoa. Pietro’s first creation was Pasta Gianduja, a solid loaf wrapped in foil that parents could slice and place on bread for their children. It was affordable, calorie-dense and an instant success.   The evolution from a solid block to a spreadable cream occurred in 1951. Legend suggests that an exceptionally hot summer caused the Gianduja loaves to melt, leading Ferrero to realise that a creamy texture was actually more desirable. He reformulated the recipe into Supercrema, sold in jars. This made the product even more economical, as a small amount could be spread across an entire loaf of bread. The Nutella we recognise today was perfected by Pietro’s son, Michele Ferrero, in 1964. Michele wanted to take the family business global and knew he needed a name that would resonate internationally. He combined the English word "nut" with the Italian feminine suffix "ella," creating a brand that felt both descriptive and catchy. He also introduced the iconic clear glass jar and the distinctive label featuring a glass of milk and a slice of bread. Nutella launched in Germany in 1965 and the UK in 1966, quickly becoming a staple of the European breakfast. Today, the Ferrero Group is one of the largest consumers of hazelnuts in the world, purchasing roughly 25 per cent of the global supply. For more about World Nutella Day, see Nutella website. Photo credit: BigNazik / Shutterstock.com.