Forgetting to heed the warnings of New Coke and Crystal Pepsi before them, Nutella maker Ferrero decided to alter the recipe for their iconic chocolate-and-hazelnut spread and chaos has ensued.
Like so many beloved foodstuffs, fans of Nutella enjoy it because of they love the taste and, assuming they’ve slathered a lot of it on their toast, they have a very specific understanding of that taste and what it should be like. However, for reasons that remain unclear, Ferrero allegedly increased the percentage of powdered skim milk in the product to 8.7 percent from 7.5 percent as well as increase the sugar amount (from 55.9 to 56.3 percent).
While that doesn’t sound terribly significant, the change has been clear. The spread’s color is noticeably lighter and the taste appears to have changed, according to tried and true nut-heads.
whyyyy would anyone change the #Nutella recipe?!?! pic.twitter.com/QnmvvL0oqW
— Irene Naranjo (@Irene_IRN_Irene) November 8, 2017
If the rumors of #Nutella changing their recipe are true, I am boycotting them. pic.twitter.com/583I7virnR
— 🍂🍁 HibernaᎶᎥᎪᏁ 🍁🍂 (@Talchy) November 6, 2017
The biggest question looming over the controversy is what got left out to make room for the skim milk and sugar? Speculation seemed to point to a lack of cocoa and The Hamburg Consumer Protection Centre posted on its Facebook page that it agrees. Under mounting scrutiny, Nutella finally admitted that a change had been made via Twitter on Wednesday. Though to be fair it looks like they’re not sharing any specific details as of yet.
This isn’t entirely new for Nutella. Hungary’s food safety agency recently accused the food item of appearing “less creamy” in their country compared to those for sale in Austria next door.
In all seriousness, it’s a surprising move to hear that a food brand is increasing sugar count in a day and age when consumers seem much more concerned with eating healthy, or at least healthier. Then again, if you’re eating Nutella, maybe the health aspect was never a major part of the equation to begin with.
What a #Nutella jar looks like when deconstructed. Should be called fatty sugar spread really. pic.twitter.com/EagPLjMXhc
— Didier Bourguignon (@ddabourguignon) November 7, 2017
No word on how this might affect the Nutella-slathered burgers that McDonald’s is selling in Italy. We suppose a little bit more sugar isn’t going to make much of a difference with that either way.
