My brother owns a vintage Ferrari – not as pricey as it might sound. One of his neighbors sold him the 1960s-era car for cheap, in far less than mint condition, and he spent years bringing it back to life. I’ve never had an interest in a Ferrari myself. However, if I change up just two vowels in the word (the “a” and the “i”) – I come up with Ferrero. Okay, now you have my attention.
Ferrero is a remarkable success story for a family business, especially considering its start as a modest pastry shop in a small town in northern Italy. Two brothers: Pietro with a love of creating new products and Giovanni – a natural at networking – grew the business across the region over the years, but it wasn’t until they handed the reins to son Michele that Ferrero became a household name. Today, the “sweets-packaged food company” is one of the world’s largest, boasting an entire supermarket aisle worth of products.
Let’s start with Nutella (just like Ferrero did when they moved beyond pastries). Nutella was created as a spin on chocolate with the intent of making it more affordable. Add hazelnuts plentiful in local orchards and Ferrero came up with the butter-like confection the world knows so well today. That product all by itself would’ve been considered a success story but since then Ferrero grew their sweets umbrella to a gigantic list… and one from which I’ve sampled way too many times.
Begin anywhere you want by just adding sugar and you’re probably talking Ferrero. How about Tic-Tac? Yep. I’d love to know how many (hundreds? thousands?) of boxes of Tic-Tac I’ve consumed over the years, with the excuse I always had a breath mint nearby when I needed one. My choice was the standard white “Freshmint”, but there’s a flavor for everyone now, including the orange “Citrus”, pink and white “Strawberries and Cream”, and even brown “Dr. Pepper”.
Ferrero also commands a good share of the candy bars you’d find at your nearby 7-Eleven. Take your pick from 100 Grand, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Chunky, Oh Henry, or Crunch – they’re all Ferrero now. If you don’t recognize that last one, it’s because Ferrero (or actually Ferrara – one of their subsidiaries) reduced the word “Nestlé” to a really small font on the label. Yep, a Nestlé Crunch bar may still be produced by Nestlé but now it’s licensed by Ferrero.
Maybe you’re a fan of movie candy. You’ll find Ferrero at the theater, whether you choose a box of Goobers, Raisinets, or Sno-Caps. Cookies instead? How about the Mother’s Cookies brand? Their pink/white “Circus Animals” and frosted “Taffy Sandwich” cookies still tug at my taste buds. Or maybe you go for those bite-sized Famous Amos chocolate-chip cookies. Amos may not sound Italian but he’s a Ferrero now.
When I first met my wife she introduced to me to Fanny May “premium gourmet” chocolates. It was the first time my allegiance to See’s Candies was tested. Trust me, it’s hard to beat a Fanny May milk chocolate vanilla buttercream. For that matter, raise your game with a cherry-filled Mon Chéri or gold-foiled Ferrero Rocher . Each of these indulgences – except See’s – are Ferrero.
Which brings me to the ultimate get. The list I’ve covered is not even half of the name brands you’ll find at Ferrero, but last year they might’ve reeled in their biggest fish yet… Kellogg’s. Seriously, who among us hasn’t had a bowl (or a hundred bowls) of Kellogg’s breakfast cereal? When I was a kid there always seemed to be a box of Corn Flakes, Special K, or Raisin Bran in the pantry (none of which I was crazy about) and better yet Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, or Honey (Sugar) Smacks. You’ll find a lot more Kellogg’s brands than those on the cereal shelves, and in every case you’re now talking Ferrero.
As much as I’ve enjoy Ferrero’s products virtually all of them are past memories. I’ve moved on to a more “adult” diet (translation: a whole lot less processed sugar). So I made myself a side bet before I checked: there are no Ferrero products in my pantry. And then I promptly lost that bet – twice. First, I found a box of Raisin Bran (how’d that get in there?) that’ll probably hit its expiration date sooner than the cereal bowl. Second, I found a box of Nonni’s, which are pretty darned good for an off-the-shelf brand of biscotti. I’m starting to think I took the wrong approach with today’s topic. Maybe my lead question should’ve been, what products aren’t under Ferrero’s umbrella?
Life In A Word 