Nutella defends recipe change as #NutellaGate spreads
Famous chocolate spread Nutella has defended itself against a backlash after it revealed that it has made small changes to the classic recipe created at its French factory.
The brand’s first factory worldwide is still in operation at Villers-Ecalles (Seine-Maritime), and has this week revealed that it has replaced its usual milk powder with one containing slightly more powdered whole milk, explained French news source 20 Minutes.
Although parent company Ferrero has sought to reassure customers that “the quality of the product, along with its taste and texture, are unchanged”, the news that the favourite recipe has been changed has caused controversy, with the hashtag #NutellaGate spreading - much like Nutella itself - through social media.
As well as internet users worried that their favourite chocolate treat will taste different, a consumer association in Germany has gone so far as to publicly accuse Ferrero of secretly and noticeably changing the recipe throughout Europe.
Ferrero has stridently denied the claims in a press release this week, explaining “all the precise details concerning the minor adjustments to the Nutella recipe in France” and the rest of the world, assuring consumers that there still remains “only one unique Nutella recipe”.
“In France, the quantity of nuts, cocoa, sugar, and palm oil remain unchanged,” the release read.
“The only adjustments are the following: replacement of the lactoserum powder in the equivalent of 2.1g per 100g of product, with powdered whole milk, making up the equivalent of 6.6-8.7% of the total product. This allows us to improve the overall quality of the milk used in Nutella and to ensure a better stability of its unique taste.
“Nothing else has been changed.”
