Michele Ferrero never flaunted his success. He attributed it to someone else.
The man who turned a small pastry shop in Alba, in Italy’s Piedmont region, into the empire behind Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, and Tic Tac was also a deeply devoted follower of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Every year, he traveled to the French shrine. According to Aleteia, he went with his top executive and organized visits to the site for his employees. And he had images of Our Lady installed at his company’s offices.
On Ferrero’s 50th anniversary, he was credited with a phrase that summed up his philosophy: “We owe Ferrero’s success to Our Lady of Lourdes; without her, we can do little”. It was said by the owner of a fortune Forbes estimated at 23.400 million dollars, the largest in Italy, who nonetheless preferred to live far from the cameras and the gossip press.
He died on February 14, 2015, in Monte Carlo, at the age of 89. One curious detail that has always accompanied his story is the rumor that Rocher chocolates were inspired by the rocky grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes. It was never confirmed, but it fits a man who blended chocolate and faith throughout his life.
