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Our Hazelnuts

Our Ambition

is to be a driving force behind a hazelnut industry that creates value for all; where farmers and farming communities are thriving, workers’ and children’s rights are respected, and environmental values are enhanced through regenerative agriculture practices. 

Hazelnuts

Basic Requirements and Beyond

Towards our aim to be a driving force behind a hazelnut industry that creates value for all, we published the Ferrero Hazelnut Charter which outlines our requirements and commitments based on three priority areas: Human Rights and Social Practices, Environmental Protection and Sustainability, and Supplier Transparency.

Our Hazelnuts

Improving the sustainability of our Hazelnuts

The Ferrero Hazelnut Company (HCo), which brings together all hazelnut supply chain activities, is committed to sourcing responsibly, with care for people and the planet. Follow each step of our hazelnuts to learn more. 

OUR HAZELNUTS

WHERE THEY’RE GROWN

The hazelnuts used in Ferrero Rocher are high quality and are sourced from hazelnut orchards mainly found in Mediterranean type climates. Our hazelnuts come primarily from Turkey, Italy, Chile and the USA. Some countries’ supply chains are larger and more complex; where hazelnuts are grown on small family-owned farms and the agricultural harvest is supported by seasonal workers. These challenges require a long-term commitment.

Tracing our hazelnuts to the farm

Tracing our hazelnuts to the farm

We are committed to achieving full traceability to farm-level in our global hazelnut supply chain by the crop year 2023 (crop year 2024 for the southern hemisphere). This is a key step in ensuring hazelnut production creates value for all. As of crop year 2020/21, we have already achieved full traceability in four of our hazelnut sourcing countries: Argentina, Chile, the United States and France.

Hazelnut know-how

Hazelnut know-how

The Ferrero Hazelnut Company has strong expertise in the hazelnut sector, developing and sharing its know-how and experience in hazelnut cultivation to improve quality, productivity and enhance sustainability.

OUR HAZELNUTS

How they’re grown

Hazelnut trees yield fruit each harvest in the autumn. We know that our hazelnut orchards and those we source from are connected to a wider, more global ecosystem. We are also aware that in some countries there is need to improve agricultural working conditions and the broader social issues, including the prevention of child labour. 

Farming with Nature

Farming with Nature

We are committed to applying the principles of regenerative agriculture on our own Agrifarms and to supporting the adoption of these principles by the agricultural community in our main sourcing countries. The principles of regenerative agriculture that we seek to promote include building soil health, developing agro-ecological ways to manage inputs and enhance biodiversity.

Continuous improvement

Continuous improvement

We know that a long-term commitment is required to address the challenges and social issues due to agricultural working conditions in some countries. We are actively engaged in our determination to prevent and eliminate child labour all along our supply chain, through a multi-stakeholder approach, with the conviction that every child should be protected, by experiencing joyful growth through a right to education and a safe environment.

OUR HAZELNUTS

AFTER THEY’RE HARVESTED

Once harvested, the hazelnuts are dried, cleaned and sent to our hazelnut plants for processing. Here the hazelnuts are classified according to their sizes, and then they are carefully cracked to break the shell of the hazelnut without damaging the kernel. Finally, the hazelnut kernels are selected in conformity with Ferrero Rocher’s quality criteria.

Ready for Ferrero’s facilities

Ready for Ferrero’s facilities

Once the hazelnuts have been sorted, cracked and selected, they are packed and stored under strict conditions and undergo further quality checks before being roasted in our chocolate manufacturing plants and then combined with other ingredients to create the inimitable Ferrero Rocher. 

DISCOVER OUR SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH TO

Cocoa

Learn about our sustainability approach to other ingredients.