Confectionery giant Ferrero's Commerciale Italia division, which is responsible for sales and distribution in the business' home market of Italy, saw sales rise 6.7% to €1.7 billion in the year to 31 August 2023, driven by strong demand for products such as Nutella and Kinder.
Operating profit in the division amounted to €52.3 million, up from €32.6 million a year earlier. Volume sales were unchanged, year-on-year.
Ferrero also invested €142 million into its four Italian factories (at Alba, Pozzuolo Martesana, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, and Balvano) over the past year.
Italian Market
Ferrero Group operates in Italy through four companies – Ferrero Commercial Italia (distribution and sales), Ferrero Industriale Italia (processing and transformation of raw materials into finished products), Ferrero Management Services Italia (administrative, finance and personnel management), and Ferrero Technical Services (technical and IT activities) – which together reported a combined turnover of close to €3 billion last year.
At a global level, Ferrero generates sales of more than €14 billion per year.
Nutella Goes Green
Meanwhile, the first plant-based Nutella could be gracing supermarket shelves soon, according to Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
Ferrero has filed a trademark for 'Nutella Plant Based' with the Italian Patent Office, paving the way for a vegan version of the popular hazelnut spread. While staying true to its iconic look and taste, this new offering promises to cater to the growing demand for plant-based alternatives.
The move comes as Ferrero prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its flagship product in 2024.
The plant-based market is flourishing in Europe, reaching €5.8 billion in sales, while in Italy, the market is worth approximately €680 million, predominantly driven by plant-based milk sales.
