Ferrero Hazelnut Company, a division of the Ferrero Group, has increased its investment in U.S.-grown hazelnuts by awarding $340,000 in research grants to two universities. Rutgers University will receive $160,000 as part of this initiative.
Oregon State University is the second recipient and will be granted $180,000. The funds are intended to support collaborative efforts with local farmers, producers, and distributors to enhance sustainability and efficiency within the industry.
Hazelnuts play a crucial role in Ferrero's brands such as Ferrero Rocher and Nutella. Due to their high demand during North American seasonal celebrations like the winter holidays, Ferrero has diversified its global sourcing of hazelnuts to maintain availability throughout the year.
Tommaso de Gregorio, Head of Ferrero’s Agri Competence Center, stated: “Our mission is to master the hazelnut value chain from end-to-end to create and deliver value in service of customers, brands, and products.” He emphasized the importance of this mission in North America where significant investments have been made over the past decade.
Rutgers University has become a leader in introducing hazelnut cultivation on the East Coast. The grant provided will be used over four years for a long-term disease study aimed at developing hazelnut varieties resistant to Eastern Filbert Blight (EFB) through genetic improvement. This funding supplements an existing $100,000 partnership with Ferrero that began in 2020.
Thomas Molnar from Rutgers noted: “Our team at Rutgers is breeding trees resistant to the fungal disease Eastern Filbert Blight.” He added that Ferrero’s support aids in unlocking hazelnut production on the East Coast while combating potential spread of EFB globally.
Ferrero's collaboration with Oregon State University focuses on enhancing hazelnut cultivation in Oregon's Willamette Valley. The latest grant supports ongoing projects addressing biological control of invasive species and integrated weed management among others.
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