Maria Franca Ferrero, the billionaire matriarch of the Ferrero dynasty and often dubbed the “Nutella empress,” has died at the age of 87.
The widow of confectionery magnate Michele Ferrero passed away in the early hours of Thursday at her home in Alba, in Italy’s Cuneo province. The quiet northern town is not only home to the Ferrero factory but is widely regarded as the birthplace of the world-famous chocolate spread Nutella.
Maria served for years as president of the Ferrero Group, the global powerhouse behind beloved brands such as Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder and Tic Tac. Under the family’s leadership, the company expanded into one of the largest confectionery manufacturers in the world, with a presence spanning continents.
She married Michele in 1962 at the age of 24 — famously warning him beforehand that she “didn’t like chocolate.” The remark later became part of Ferrero folklore, a charming contradiction at the heart of one of the sweetest business empires on earth. Reflecting on her marriage years later, Maria dismissed long-standing rumors that she had once worked as her husband’s secretary, insisting instead that theirs was a true love story from the very beginning. “It was love at first sight,” she said in a past interview.
When Michele died in 2015, Maria inherited full control of the vast family business. At the time, the Ferrero Group comprised around 40 factories, employed close to 50,000 people worldwide and generated annual revenues of approximately £15.7 billion. Though she kept a relatively low public profile compared to other billionaire heirs, she played a key role in preserving the family’s legacy and values.
Tributes quickly followed news of her passing. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised Maria as a symbol of Italian enterprise who never lost sight of her community or philanthropic responsibilities. Minister for Institutional Reforms Elisabetta Casellati described her death as leaving “an immense void,” highlighting not only the global importance of her company but also her personal warmth and grace. She remembered Maria as a woman of rare kindness and sensitivity, someone who listened more than she spoke and carried her influence with quiet dignity.
Despite her immense wealth — estimated at around £1.8 billion — Maria remained closely tied to Alba, where the Ferrero story began in the post-war years. The town’s identity has long been intertwined with the company’s success, and her death resonated deeply within the local community.
She is survived by her son Giovanni Ferrero, who now serves as chairman of the Ferrero Group, as well as her daughters-in-law Paula and Luise and five grandchildren. Her other son, Pietro Ferrero, tragically died in 2011 after falling ill while cycling in South Africa — a loss that deeply affected the family.
Maria Franca Ferrero’s life bridged romance, resilience and remarkable commercial success. Though she once joked about not liking chocolate, she ultimately became one of the most influential figures behind an empire built on it — leaving an indelible mark on Italian industry and on a brand known in households across the globe.
