Nutella Jars’ Design Considerations Might Leave A Pleasant Taste In Your Mouth

Nutella has become a cult staple that’s spread, ahem, across the world. As it seems, there are a few delicious secrets that make it all the more special which aren’t to do with taste.

The jars contain choc-full of details that have made them “as famous as the Coca-Cola contour bottle,” as described by the Nutella World book. A new profile by The Daily Meal brings these features to light: First up, the glass packaging is known as the ‘Pelikan’, due to its resemblance to classic ink bottles.

Ferrero, the maker of Nutella, created a bottle that stood out in shape on store shelves because it foresaw other manufacturers one day replicating its success formula. To set Nutella apart from the sea of tall and slim jars, the brand went with wide and round.

The container’s wider mouth added to its practicality too. It meant customers could easily scrape out all the goodness from the packaging without getting their hands stuck.

Considerations for how Nutella bottles should be presented run from top to bottom, so to speak. Roberta Sassatelli, author of Consumer Culture, told the BBC that the glass and the shape signify a “traditional and luxurious” experience, while the white plastic lid tells shoppers that the product is also “modern, cheap, and functional.”

Nutella’s position as an accessible luxury dates back to post-World War II, when cocoa was exceedingly scarce. Ferrero’s home grounds of Piedmont, Italy, however, were brimming with hazelnuts, so the company produced an economical spread that was full of the abundant nuts and was darkened—just a little—by the rare cocoa.

Its spreadability allowed families to stretch their budgets too, while also enabling them to indulge in chocolate not just on special occasions but on regular days as well.

[via The Daily Meal and BBC, images via various sources]