Maria Franca Ferrero passed away on February 13 at her home in Alba, Piedmont, Italy. The confectionery empire Ferrero Rocher, founded by Pietro Ferrero, created, among other things, the sweet spread Nutella and Raffaello candies, which have already become a must-give gift on Valentine's Day.
Maria Franca Ferrero passed away at the age of 87. She was the widow of Michele Ferrero, owner of Ferrero Group — the company that produces, among other confectionery products, brands such as Nutella, Kinder, and Ferrero Rocher, reports Focus citing Daily Mail.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences.
When Michele — at that time the richest man in Italy — died in 2015, Maria inherited a business that included about 40 factories, more than 47,000 employees, and an annual turnover exceeding 15.7 billion euros.
She is survived by her son Giovanni, the current chairman of the group, daughters-in-law Paola and Luisa, and five grandchildren.
Her other son, Pietro, died in 2011 from a sudden illness.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to Maria, stating:
"With her passing, Italy loses a figure who embodied an example of entrepreneurship that creates value with elegance and quiet dignity, never losing sight of the interests of society."
Maria was born in Savigliano on January 21, 1939. After finishing school, she enrolled in a translation college in Milan, and in 1961, she started working as a translator at Ferrero, where she met her future husband.
It was love at first sight, and the couple married in 1962 — although, as she later recalled, "I did not love chocolate."
A year later, they welcomed their first child, Pietro, and in 1964, Giovanni.
Her charitable work earned her several awards, including the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic — the country's highest civilian honor — in 2024.
On December 19, at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting, she was unanimously appointed honorary lifetime president of the Ferrero Group.
The Sweet Empire of Ferrero Rocher – How Billions Grew from Poverty
The founder of Ferrero Rocher (then called Ferrero SpA) was Pietro Ferrero. After World War II, he launched the hazelnut-chocolate spread Nutella, which is now sold in over 160 countries. His company also created Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tac, and the Kinder chocolate brand.
He used hazelnuts due to their low cost and wanted to create a product that was not only tasty but also affordable. Pietro did not even target children, although today "Nutella" has become part of a delicious breakfast for kids around the world. At that time, the spread was called Giandujot in honor of a character from the local carnival and was shaped like a bar that could be sliced and spread on bread.
He personally delivered orders to stores and opened his confectionery in the community of Alba in Piedmont. He passed away in 1949, reportedly from overwork. But his wife took over the management of the company, and later his son Michele Ferrero.
He was the richest man in Italy, with a personal fortune of $26 billion, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi's fortune in March 2008. In May 2014, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranked Ferrero 20th among the richest people in the world.
Today, Ferrero Rocher remains a family-owned company. The Ferrero family is one of the wealthiest in Europe.
