Wrapped in gold and exuding elegance, the coveted Ferrero Rocher holds inside it one of the most guarded secrets in the food industry.
The recipe began more than a century ago and has remained in the hands of one family for four generations, all thanks to one Italian who turned his father's local bakery into a multi-billion dollar company, and one of the most distinctive chocolate brands in history.
This is the story of Michele Ferrero.
Michele Ferrero was born in 1989 in Piedmont Northwest Italy, the area is known for its border with Switzerland.
With the Alps forming a cinematic background, Michele grew up in the small town of Alba in between Turin in Genoa, on the southern part of Piedmont.
It's home to some of the country's most prestigious Vineyards in the country, a rich Roman history, an architectural site stating as far back as the 12th century.
It was in this town that Michele's father Pietro, began a humble bakery with a grand vision.
Pietro had been trained as a pastry chef and developed an obsession with finding the right balance of cocoa and hazelnuts, which were easy to source locally.
This quest led to Pietro's own version of gianduja, a thick dark chocolatey paste, which was created in the region, helping to make Piedmont famous for chocolate.
With Pietro's recipe though, which he marketed as pasta gianduja, this creamy spread would go from a regional delight to a nationwide best seller.
