Email from London - Mr. Ferrero
Over the last CNY, Allan and I
hosted a dinner party and one of our guests brought us a box of Ferrero Rocher
chocolates. So, sometimes after dinner, Allan and I would take one each
and sometimes 2 if we do not have desserts.
Sometime last week, over our Ferrero
Rocher, we were sharing about what a luxury item Ferrero Rocher was when we were
growing up. Surprisingly, we could still remember our first Ferrero Rocher
experience. I told him about Auntie Geok Hui who came to our house with a
box when we were staying at Berkerly Garden in Klang and it was then the most
delicious chocolate I have ever eaten. It was also very expensive,
RM12.90 per box of 16, stacked up in 2 layers of eight. Then, it went up
to RM16.90 and then RM18.90. Funny how these facts still stick in the
deep recesses of one's mind.
Allan said that his family doesn't
spend money on stuff like this and his first Ferrero Rocher was given to him by
a fat school mate when they went for their sports competition in early
secondary school. Allan was representing his school for long jump and his
friend for short putt. So, while waiting for their turns, his friend took
out a pack of 3 Ferrero Rocher and gave him one. It was, to him, the most
delicious chocolate that he has ever eaten.
And
then yesterday, while reading an older edition of the Economist, on the
Obituary section, I read that Mr Michele Ferrero (I didn't know there is such a
person) died on Valentine's Day, age 89.
He is the inventor of Ferrero Roche,
and also Nutella, Tic Tac and all the Kinder chocolates, like Happy Hippo.
Reading his obituary, it felt as though his story is one that comes out of a
story book. Even his death on Valentine's Day seemed appropriate.
Chocolate maker dies on Valentine's Day.
(Click 'The Economist - Obituary' for the article)
Anyway, he spent 5 years figuring
out how to bend the wafer in the Ferrero Rocher.
He started selling chocolates in
small packages, even individually, instead of boxes because it was not
affordable in post war Germany but he felt that everyone should have some
sweetness in their life even during such bleak times, and he even created the
egg-shaped Kinder surprise (chocolate egg with a toy inside) so that children
can have Easter everyday.
He was so good to his employees that
they never went on strike and when his factory was flooded in 1994, they came
back over Christmas to help him clean up so that factory could start after only
15 days. He kept his company private and took his time to grow his
company however he wanted to.
I showed Allan the article yesterday
after dinner, over our Ferrero Roche. One day when my little
boy is old enough to eat Ferrero Roche and old enough to understand, I will tell
him the story of this remarkable man that hardly anyone else outside of Italy
knew about.
http://chanky50.blogspot.com
