‘Father of Nutella’ dies on Valentine’s Day aged 97

An acclaimed Italian chemist dubbed the ‘Father of Nutella’ for his work on the world-famous Ferrero spread died on Valentine’s Day aged 97, his family have shared.

Francesco Rivella, a widowed father of four, will be remembered today at a funeral in his Piedmont hometown, where he worked with Ferrero for more than four decades.

Dr Rivella is credited with helping the Alba-based brand grow into an international sensation, innovating products from its Wonka-esque chocolate ‘Chemistry Room’.

Joining the company in 1952, he saw the company through its expansion with household names like TicTac, Kinder and Ferrero Rocher before retiring in 1993.

As Michele Ferrero’s ‘right-hand man’, Rivella travelled widely to find the perfect ingredients for their pioneering chocolate brand.

The chemist is said to have had a crucial role in the creation of Nutella, credited with coming up with the name of the brand.

He was?named?as ‘one of the historic managers of Ferrero, a personal friend of Michele Ferrero… [and] an important piece of the history and memory of Alba’.

Rivella’s children shared the announcement that his funeral would be held at the town’s cathedral later today, thanking ‘those who lovingly assisted him’.

The?Rotary Club of Alba, a local organisation of professionals ‘encouraging high ethical standards in the practice of their professions’ said Dr Rivella was a ‘very important, irreplaceable figure of our Club and a dear friend who will be missed’.

‘The entire club joins, with deep emotion, in the profound grief of his loved ones.’

The funeral will take place today at 3pm in the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo.

A Prayer Vigil will follow at the Cathedral, at 7pm.

The chemist joined Ferrero in 1952, at the age of 25, beginning his career in study of the raw materials used to make their various products.

At the time, the now iconic confectionary brand was just six-year-old and based out of the small town of Alba, in northern Italy.

The two Ferrero brothers, Pietro and Gionvanni, took an experimental approach to their work, starting out modestly with innovations in the family’s small pastry shop.

‘Pietro was renowned for his love of experimenting ? he was affectionately known as ?the scientist? by his friends, always working to find new flavours and textures to surprise and delight at the pastry shop in Alba,’ Ferrero notes.

The next few decades would see a transformation of the brand, with Rivella involved in sourcing new ingredients and analysing taste as Ferrero brought out many of its now-household names. (Daily Mail)