The Startling Amount Of The World's Hazelnut Supply That Goes To Nutella

It's been nearly 60 years since Italy first introduced us to the delicious chocolate and hazelnut spread that is Nutella. One of the guilty pleasure foods you don't have to apologize for loving, Nutella pairs well with what seems like an unlimited amount of foods, from strawberries and bananas to waffles, pretzels, and ice cream. The chocolate spread is so in-demand that riots once broke out in a French supermarket after Nutella went on sale. Generally, chefs like Italian Nutella better than American Nutella, largely because the Italian version appears to contain more hazelnuts and cocoa powder. There is about 13% hazelnut in a jar of Italian Nutella and about 7% cocoa powder.

While the U.S. version of Nutella doesn't list these percentages, one fact remains certain: Hazelnuts appear to have one major role in this world, and that is to help create Nutella. Jokes aside, hazelnuts actually have a lot going for them. The fruit from a hazel tree may help with lowering inflammation in the body, helping you maintain a strong heart, and may even benefit sperm count. However, most searches for what hazelnuts are used for reveal that they are typically found in desserts and chocolate-based products, like Nutella. You may be surprised to learn just how many hazelnuts are used to give Nutella its chocolate and hazelnut taste.    

Giovanni Ferrero, who holds the title of the wealthiest person in Italy, is currently in charge of Ferrero SpA, a company in Italy known for its chocolate. Ferrero may have his dad Michele Ferrero to thank, who is known as the creator of Nutella. Giovanni Ferrero's grandfather initially developed chocolate that resembled Nutella in some ways, but his father Michele turned it into the Nutella we know today.

In 2014, when Nutella was celebrating its 50th anniversary, Giovanni Ferrero told BBC News, "My grandfather lived to find this formula. He was completely obsessed by it." He added, "He woke up my grandmother at midnight – she was sleeping – and he made her taste it with spoons, asking, 'How was it?' and 'What do you think?'" Explaining how his dad turned Nutella into the spread we now know, he told BBC News, "My father said, 'We can push it further, there are new technologies, there are new ways to integrate this winning recipe." Today, Nutella is a global staple.

"Nutella was born the same year as I was born, 1964," Giovanni Ferrero told BBC News. "And it was not just an Italian success but a European success." BBC News reported in 2014 that in order to produce the famous product, Ferrero buys a whopping 25% of the world's hazelnut supply yearly. That makes his confectionery the top purchaser of hazelnuts globally.

Per BBC News, a 2008 UK commercial reported that a 14-ounce jar of Nutella contains 52 hazelnuts, though the ad's nutritional claims have been questioned. According to the company's own website, Ferrero makes sure that the hazelnuts it uses "are sustainable and ethically sourced," claiming, "We have already achieved 100% sustainability in 3 source countries: Chile, Argentina, and the USA. And we aim to have 100% global traceability by 2023." To ensure this process runs smoothly, the company claims goals of helping farmers, making sure kids' rights are being upheld, and having research teams investigate new ways to limit fertilizer to make sure the hazelnuts customers consume are top-tier.

Thinking about hazelnuts' potential health benefits may provide a welcome excuse to have some Nutella. Some research even suggests that hazelnuts may make better baby formula. While the calorie-conscious may not like to make eating Nutella a daily habit, if you find yourself in the kitchen with a spoon of it and that inner voice reminds you of your diet, simply reply, "Do Nutella me what to do."