FERRERO INVESTS IN U.S. HAZELNUT FARMING WITH RESEARCH GRANTS TO RUTGERS UNIVERSITY AND OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS
The Ferrero Hazelnut Company has announced it is expanding its investment in U.S.-grown hazelnuts with $ 340,000 in research grants to Oregon State University (OSU) and Rutgers University.
The grants will support both universities’ collaboration with local farmers, producers, and distributors, advancing sustainability and efficiency in the industry. Hazelnuts are an essential ingredient for Ferrero’s well-loved brands like Ferrero Rocher® and Nutella®. To ensure year-around availability, the company has diversified its hazelnut sourcing globally to support its rapid growth, especially in North America.
Ferrero’s grant of $ 180,000 to Oregon State University will support multiple ongoing projects, including biological control of invasive species, diseases, and fungi, as well as integrated weed management within orchards, with the ultimate goal of reducing herbicide. This follows Ferrero doubling its hazelnut sourcing from the area, together with existing donations of more than $ 760,000 to OSU agriculture programs.
The $ 160,000 grant to Rutgers will be donated as part of a long-term disease study, which supports the development of hazelnut varieties that can resist Eastern filbert blight (EFB) through genetic improvement. This on top of $ 100,000 from a previous partnership with Ferrero that started in 2020.
Through this investment, Ferrero further strives to master the hazelnut value chain from end-to-end, with the aim to create and deliver value in service of customers, brands, and products. This is particularly important in North America, where the company has invested significant expertise, knowledge and finances in growth and innovation over the past decade.
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