Ferrero Rocher

Ferrero Rocher, with the central hazelnut clear in the cross-section

Ferrero Rondnoir, showing the chocolate sprinkle exterior

Ferrero Garden (coconut), with the central half almond clear in the cross-section

A box of Ferrero Rocher

A Rocher, layer by layer

Ferrero Rocher is a spherical chocolate sweet made by Italian chocolatier Ferrero SpA. Introduced in 1982, the chocolates consist of a whole roasted hazelnut encased in a thin wafer shell filled with hazelnut cream and covered in milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts. The sweets each contain 73 calories, and are individually packaged inside a gold-coloured wrapper. Rochero comes from French and means "rock".

Ferrero varieties

A range of Ferrero chocolates benefit from the advertising of the Rocher type. These different chocolates are sold separately, and also as boxed collections of mixed types.

• Ferrero Rocher – a whole hazelnut, coated in milk chocolate, surrounded by a hazelnut filling, and encased in a nut croquante.
• Ferrero Rondnoir – a 'pearl' of dark chocolate, surrounded by a dark chocolate cream (with an almond center since the new recipe was released), encased in a croquante and encrusted with dark chocolate Sprinkles.
• Ferrero Raffaello – a half almond, surrounded by meringue and milk cream, encased in coconut wafer coated with coconut flakes.
• Ferrero Garden (Coconut) – a half almond, surrounded by coconut cream, encased in wafer coated with coconut flakes, and topped with white chocolate icing cap.
• Ferrero Garden (Lemon) – as above, but with lemon cream centre and flavouring, and lemon icing cap.
• Ferrero Garden (Forest Fruits) – as above, but with strawberry & raspberry cream centre and flavouring, and strawberry icing cap.
• Ferrero Garden (Pistachio) – as above, but with pistachio cream centre and flavouring, and pistachio icing cap.
• Ferrero Garden (Almond) – as above, but with almond cream centre and flavouring, and almond icing cap.
• Ferrero Garden (Hazelnut) – as above, but with nutella-type centre, and a white chocolate icing cap.
• Ferrero Giotto – a chocolate cream centre, within a wafer sphere coated with hazelnut pieces.

The Rocher always bears a golden coloured wrapper, the Rondnoir a dark brown wrapper, and the Garden a silver wrapper with an illustration of the flavour under the name tag—for example, a strawberry, or a coconut. An exception is the Pistachio-flavoured one, which comes in a metallic Pistachio green wrapper.

Discontinued varieties

• Ferrero Fresco Mint – fresh centre of clear liquid mint, encased in wafer and coated in chocolate

Advertising

In most English-speaking countries, Ferrero have concentrated on advertising the Rocher chocolate, and allowed the associated recognition of their company brand name to sell other Ferrero chocolate types. In the United Kingdom the 1990s advertisement series based upon a party in a European ambassador's official residence has been repeatedly parodied in popular culture (see references in the section below) and taken on a reputation for having limited artistic value. Nonetheless, the extent of popular reproduction and mimicking must suggest a high degree of success in strict advertising terms. The opening voice-over (voiced by UK actor Jonathan Kydd), "The Ambassador's receptions are noted in society for their host's exquisite taste that captivates his guests", together with the on-screen comments of guests such as "Eccellente" and "Ambassador, with these Rocher, you're really spoiling us", remain widely recognised and quoted in the United Kingdom. The concept of a butler wandering between party guests holding a silver tray with a pyramid of Ferrero Rocher has become a trope and a popular stereotype of diplomacy in general. There has been discussion about the socio-economic targeting of the advertisement, and the extent to which it may or may not be insulting to the more down-market audience to whom it was presented as an aspirational brand by means of an Italian advertisement dubbed in English, such as this quote from the New Statesman: "Within this inner sanctum of the smart set, a distinguished manservant glided silently through the moneyed throng, with a pyramid of golden baubles, perched on a silver salver, offering a huge piled plate of the sweets to the guests at an embassy party."

Popular culture

• In the Channel 4 comedy Father Ted, when a group of three bishops visited, Mrs. Doyle stacked the Ferrero Rocher in a cone shape and the bishops proclaimed, "Father Ted, with these Rochers you are really spoiling us."
• In the panel quiz show QI, host Stephen Fry commented on an ambassador's reception he had attended, causing panelist Phill Jupitus to interrupt, "Stephen, let me guess... Ferrero Rocher as far as the eye could see?"
• In French and Saunders' spoof of Phantom Menace, each time the word "Ambassador" is said, a plate of Ferrero Rocher is presented.
• In Little Britain, Bubbles DeVere repeatedly offers Ferrero Rocher to the many men she attempts to seduce.

Chinese Copycat

Montresor (Zhangjiagang) Food has been accused of making copycat brand called Ferraro Rocher in China and exporting them overseas. In 2006 a court in China ruled in the Ferrero Rocher's favour and sought Montresor to stop making their version of Tresor Dore. In spite of this ruling, the copycats are still available.

External links

• Official Ferrero Rocher website
• Ferrero Rocher Hampers website