“Nutella Founder Dies, Said Secret of Success Was Our Lady of Lourdes,” read a Feb. 17 headline at Aleteia.org. Michele Ferrero, creator of the beloved chocolate-hazelnut spread Nutella, died Feb. 14, at the age of 89.
Ferrero said at the company’s 50th anniversary celebration: “The success of Ferrero we owe to Our Lady of Lourdes; without it, we can do little.”
A small statue of the Blessed Mother is present at each Ferrero location, the article reported, adding that the richest person in Italy “was a man endowed with a strong faith who spent his life away from the spotlight and the tabloids. Each year, he went on pilgrimage to Lourdes, taking his top manager. He also organized a visit to the French shrine for his employees.”