Francesco Rivella (8 August 1927 – 14 February 2025) was an Italian

chocolatier A chocolatier ( ; ; ) is a person or company that makes and sells chocolate confections. Chocolatiers are distinct from chocolate makers, who create chocolate from cacao beans and other raw ingredients. Chocolatiers work artisanally with pre- ...

and

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a graduated scientist trained in the study of chemistry, or an officially enrolled student in the field. Chemists study the composition of ...

known for his work with the expansion of the Ferrero brand, including the creation of the chocolate spread

Nutella Nutella ( , , ; stylized in all lowercase) is a brand of brown, sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread. Nutella is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in 1964, although its first iteration dates to 1963. History Pietro ...

and the development of its recipe.

Life and career

Rivella was born in

Barbaresco Barbaresco is an Italian wine made with the Nebbiolo grape. Barbaresco is produced in the Piemonte (wine), Piedmont region in an area of the Langhe immediately to the east of Alba, Italy, Alba and specifically in the ''comune''s of Barbaresco (CN ...

, Piedmont, Italy, on 8 August 1927. Having just received a degree in bromatological chemistry from

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

, Rivella began to work alongside the businessman

Michele Ferrero Michele Ferrero (; 26 April 1925 – 14 February 2015) was an Italian billionaire businessman. He owned the chocolate manufacturer Ferrero SpA, Europe's second-largest confectionery company (at the time of his death), which he developed from th ...

as Ferrero's right hand man to produce chocolate beginning at the age of 25 in 1952, having joined the Ferrero company as a

. The original form of

, first sold in 1951, was a creamy version of '' gianduja'' called ''Supercrema gianduja'', based on Ferrero's father

Pietro Pietro is an Italian language, Italian masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: People * Pietro I Candiano (c. 842–887), briefly the 16th Doge of Venice * Pietro Tribuno (died 912), 17th Doge of Venice, from 887 to his dea ...

's solid chocolate ''Pasta Gianduja''. In 1964, Ferrero recruited Rivella for them to work together on developing a revamped version of ''Supercrema gianduja'', with the aim of selling it across Italy and Europe. Rivella was credited with coming up with the name "Nutella" in 1964, having reportedly perfected the taste with Ferrero after having spent several years with him travelling the world to come up with newer flavours. Rivella and Ferrero traveled around the world to sample

confectionery Confectionery is the Art (skill), art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two bro ...

products with a belief that they could refine and improve those products. Rivella contributed to the development of Kinder and Ferrero Rocher products. According to Gigi Padovani, his balance of tradition and innovation made Rivella a key person in the Ferrero company's rise as a multinational company. Following his career at Ferrero, Rivella served as a member of the Order of Chemists. After retiring, he dedicated his spare time to fruit farming and the traditional Italian sport of Pallapugno. Rivella died in

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English-language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingd ...

, Piedmont, on 14 February 2025, at the age of 97. Prior to his death, Rivella was widowed with three sons, a daughter, and seven grandchildren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivella, Francesco 1927 births 2025 deaths Italian chemists Italian businesspeople People from the Province of Cuneo