A real-life Willy Wonka.
Ferrero Rocher. One of the most recognised chocolate in the world. When it was introduced in 1982, it became an instant hit. What is more amazing is that it’s still popular and still feels exclusive today, 37 years later.
Yes, it can be due to great marketing. However, for it to be popular so long, the product needs to be amazing. It needs to be designed by a genius of the confectionery world. For Ferrero Rocher, the genius in the formula is Michele Ferrero. Ferrero is also the genius behind the Kinder Egg, Nutella and Tic Tacs. Till today, Ferrero Rochers are made behind closed doors and only few people knows the exact recipe of the chocolate. It’s like a real-life Willy Wonka.
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use.
The little chocolate ball may look simple, but it’s very complex underneath. That’s a sign of good engineering – simplifying something complex. Let’s look at what goes into that ball, layer by layer.
First, we look at the packaging. The shiny gold wrapper on a dark brown base is elegant. The shade of the gold makes it look expensive. Then the feeling of opening the cover, the quality of the paper with the slight cracking noise makes you want to find out what’s inside.
When the gold paper is fully unwrapped, there sits an amazing round chocolate ball. The inside of the wrapper is silver, making the chocolate ball look like a pearl in an oyster. The chocolate ball has little bits of golden nuts on it, making it glitter.
Unwrapping it is an experience of pure pleasure. You can already tell that Ferrero was not planning to create just another chocolate. He was setting his sights on something far more amazing.
The chocolate ball is made up of multiple layers. The outer layer is a layer of chocolate with golden crunchy nuts. Below that is layer of spherical wafer. Inside the wafer is another layer of chocolate. Finally, hidden inside this small chocolate ball is a half a crunchy hazelnut.
It’s chocolate, then crunch, then chocolate, followed by another big crunch. The formula is common in chocolates, but the execution of that formula is perfect in a Ferrero Rocher. On top of that, to invent machines that can make such a complex ball back in 1982, it’s genius.
As age catches on, most people would lose their sweet tooth. I am no different, any only have space in my tummy for selected chocolates and sweets. However, when faced with a Ferrero Rocher, it’s like a bomb. I have no choice but to eat it before it explodes!
