Availability of premium gianduia spreads in the United States has increased dramatically over the past several years, making it much easier to find products of acceptable quality.
Nutella’s success spawned countless imitators, most trying to mimic Ferrero’s formula and a great many competing against the original on price. But Nutella also inspired a counter-tradition, primarily within Italy, of premium spreads that hewed more closely to the older, nobler traditions of gianduia. In the past few years, more of these premium spreads have made their way to the US market. In the spirit of the Decalogue for Gianduia Snobs, here are seven guidelines on what to look for (and avoid) when shopping for quality gianduia spreads.
Ferrero’s transformation and international expansion of the Nutella brand over the past forty-seven years remains one of Italy’s greatest industrial success stories. But something was lost along the way.
No discussion of gianduia would be complete without consideration of Ferrero SpA and its flagship product, Nutella. Though a detailed examination of the company and its products is beyond the scope of this series, a brief historical sketch will suffice as background for some more specific observations to come.
Now let’s consider the best gianduiotti—the kind that require international mail, travel, or a willing gianduia mule.
