Italian chemist Francesco Rivella began working at Ferrero in 1952 when he was 25 years old.

Rivella worked in Ferrero’s chemistry room, where he would study raw materials to develop new products by blending, refining and tasting ingredients in pursuit of the perfect flavors.

And perfect, they were.

The first iteration of what would become Nutella was originally called Giandujot and was sold in 1946.

5 years on, the paste was “transformed into a creamy new product that was easier to spread” called SuperCrema.

Then finally, in 1964, the recipe was perfected, leading to the first-ever jar of hazelnut and cocoa cream that we would come to know and love as Nutella.

Rivella worked closely with Michele Ferrero, son of the Ferrero brand founder, Pietro Ferrero.

Michele would take over the family business following his father’s passing, and Rivella served as his right-hand man.

The duo would travel the world together, tasting chocolates and confectionery, “not to copy them, but to make them better,” says Italian journalist Gigi Padovani.

Rivella passed away exactly 10 years after Michele.