Nutella Factory Shuts Down After Quality Defect

A popular chocolate hazelnut spread Nutella, has shut down its biggest factory in France because of a quality issue, as per media reports. 

However, production at the factory in Villers-Ecalles, France, was halted earlier this week after a "quality defect" was detected in semi-finished products, according to CNN reports. 

Italian candy maker and Nutella manufacturer Ferrero stated that, "This defect does not correspond to our quality standards, so we decided to temporarily suspend the activity of the factory. This measure, taken in the name of the precautionary principle, will enable us to carry out further investigations." 

Though, Ferrero said none of the Nutella products currently on store shelves is affected by the problem and that the supply of Nutella to customers should continue uninterrupted. 

Interestingly, Nutella was created after World War II, when a cocoa shortage in Italy required pastry makers to get creative. The man behind it is Chef Pietro Ferrero. He created the spread using hazelnuts, sugar and a bit of cocoa. 

Since then the spread has been extremely popular across the world. Over a year ago, there was a near-riot in supermarkets in France after a French grocery chain discounted Nutella by 70%.  

In November 2017, Nutella fans outraged on social media after word got out that the recipe for the spread had been changed. The amount of skimmed milk powder in Nutella was increased slightly, giving the spread a lighter colour.