Francesco Rivella, Known For Inventing Nutella, Dead At 97

The inventor and chemist behind the ever-popular hazelnut spread Nutella, Francesco Rivella, died on Valentine's Day at the age of 97 (via Daily Mail). Called the "Father of Nutella," Rivella began working for the Italian sweets manufacturer Ferrero (of Ferrero Rocher fame) in the early 1950s, where he stayed for over 40 years. In his time at the company, he and his colleagues mixed and tasted different ingredients to find the very best and most delicious combinations.

From his humble beginnings in the Ferrero chemistry room, Rivella worked his way up the ladder, until he was both a senior manager and the direct-report for the company's founder's son, Michele Ferrero. Rivella passed away 10 years to the day after Ferrero.

While a Nutella-like paste was created in 1946 and again in 1951, it was Rivella who helped to improve it before the first jar was released in 1964. He even renamed the spread, from the mouthful "Giandujot" to the much catchier moniker by which we know it today.

All of Francesco Rivella's experiments paid off, because since its inception, Nutella has hit many major milestones and remains a staple spread across households. In 2005, the company hosted a world record continental breakfast with 26,854 attendees. In 2024, the brand celebrated its 50th birthday, one year after debuting the iconic Nutella croissant.

The love for Nutella and its "father" is clearly nothing new, with World Nutella Day established in 2007 by none other than a blogger, Sara Rosso. The holiday has just passed, having been celebrated on February 5, but don't let that stop you from giving your hot chocolate a rich makeover with a dollop of the spread, or creating an easy 4-ingredient no-bake pie with it this week, as a celebration of Rivella's life and contribution to the sweets landscape.