This month, How to Eat is digging into the chocolate spread. Is it best on croissants, pancakes or ice-cream? Why does it bang with bananas? And could the connoisseurs’ serve be straight from the jar?
The subject of heists in Germany and chaos in French supermarkets, blessed by the high priests of the kitchen pass (Nigella, Yotam) but also slathered on chips in Aberdeen, Nutella’s popularity knows no bounds.
It is less a hazelnut chocolate spread (other brands are available but, honestly, have you ever tried them?) than a global phenomenon. One that has turned its Italian parent company, Ferrero, into a circa €12bn-a-year business, created a secondary market in jar locks and resonates in the news cycle in endlessly unexpected ways: from the pre-match snacking of Brentford FC midfield “machine” Vitaly Janelt to (and, no, the date on this is not 1 April) plans to sterilise Britain’s grey squirrel population.
