World Nutella Day: How an Italian Spread Became a Global Phenomenon

Every year since 2007, February 5 has been celebrated as World Nutella Day, a holiday that has gained international recognition and unites millions of fans of the famous chocolate-hazelnut spread.

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Chocolate paste

The Nutella brand, known worldwide and especially popular among children, secured its place among global celebrations almost immediately. The idea came from Sarah Rosso, an American blogger living in Italy, who proposed marking February 5, 2007, as World Nutella Day. The initiative quickly gained support from millions of admirers of the sweet spread.

The Origins of Nutella in Postwar Italy

Nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread that originated in Italy. Its story begins in the postwar years in the town of Alba. In 1946, pastry maker and bakery owner Pietro Ferrero began producing soft chocolate bars called Gianduja, named after a traditional local carnival character.

At the time, cocoa imports to Italy remained limited, which encouraged Ferrero to supplement cocoa butter with a new ingredient: roasted and ground hazelnuts, abundant in the region. The soft chocolate-hazelnut bars quickly became popular among local children and sold in large quantities.

A Happy Accident That Changed Everything

The next chapter in Nutella's history combined both drama and comedy. A large order from the local municipality had been prepared and left overnight, but intense heat caused the bars to melt completely. With family savings at stake, Pietro Ferrero acted quickly.

He spread the melted chocolate-hazelnut mixture onto thin slices of bread, which his wife prepared, and served the improvised treats to festival guests. What appeared to be a desperate solution turned into another success. Guests enthusiastically welcomed the creamy spread.

After that event, Ferrero began producing and selling the product as a cream rather than a bar, still under the name Gianduja. The spread rapidly gained popularity throughout Piedmont and soon across Italy.

From Gianduja to Nutella

These events marked 1946 as the effective founding year of the Ferrero company. Continued experimentation led to the spread being renamed Supercrema in 1951. Thirteen years later, in 1964, Pietro Ferrero's son Michele refined the recipe once more and introduced the product under its modern name: Nutella.

Nutella's popularity became so widespread that Ferrero adopted the slogan, "What would the world be without Nutella?”

Beyond Nutella, Ferrero produces other globally recognized brands, including Kinder chocolates, Tic Tac mints, Raffaello, and Ferrero Rocher.

Today, Nutella accounts for up to one-third of Ferrero's total revenue. In 2007, the spread was ranked among the ten simplest ideas that generated billion-dollar profits.

How World Nutella Day Is Celebrated

The first official World Nutella Day celebration took place in Italy in 2007. Since then, the holiday has spread worldwide, featuring parades, concerts, flash mobs, festivals, and tastings of desserts made with Nutella, including cakes, pastries, pancakes, cocktails, and more.

The number of participants continues to grow each year. Celebrations take place in cities around the world and even in a virtual community known as Nutellaville, where fans share poems, recipes, and creative tributes dedicated to Nutella.