This candy’s coating recalls the rock formation of the grotto of Lourdes, a place that had special meaning for Ferrero, who was a Catholic and a fervent devotee of Our Lady.
Newsroom (February 11, 2022, 11:40 AM, Gaudium Press) A whole hazelnut, immersed in a delicate creamy filling, inside a crispy wafer sphere, covered with a layer of chocolate with hazelnut pieces and wrapped in a golden wrapper. This is the description of the world-famous Ferrero Rocher candy.
The coating of Ferrero Rocher recalls the rock formation of the Lourdes grotto.
Few people know, but this candy is inspired by the apparitions of Our Lady in Lourdes. According to reports, in 1982, when the master chocolatier Michele Ferrero launched them, he called them “Ferrero Rocher” because of the cave where Our Lady appeared to Saint Bernadette in Lourdes, called Rocher de Massabielle.
The candy’s shell recalls the rock formation of the cave of Lourdes, a place that had special meaning for Ferrero, who was a Catholic and a fervent devotee of Our Lady. When his company turned 50, he said, “We owe Ferrero’s success to Our Lady of Lourdes. Without her we can do very little.”
Image of the Virgin Mary present in the production centers
In addition to Ferrero Rocher candies, the company also manufactures the Kinder series, Tic Tac and Nutella. Ferrero’s annual turnover has already exceeded 10 million euros, making it the third largest chocolate producer in the world.
Behind all this success is another little-known fact; a small image of Our Lady is present in each of the company’s 14 production centers around the world.
Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Lourdes with employees
Every year, Mr. Ferrero, who died on February 14, 2015, at the age of 89, made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Lourdes. Once he organized a trip to the Marian Shrine in which he took all his employees. (EPC)
Compiled by Sarah Gangl
