Italian chocolate lovers just couldn’t catch a break it seems, as the country once again found itself in crisis in the wake of World War II. But the Italians were industrious and went back to their old ways of stretching their limited chocolate supply.
This time, however, a pastry maker named Pietro Ferrer would take gianduia to the next level. He created a new recipe using hazelnuts, sugar, and the tiny bit of cocoa he could get his hands on. The result was a thick, sweet loaf that he dubbed Giandujot. The Ferrero Company was founded in 1946, and Giandujot was its first product (source)
If you’re having trouble imagining a version of Nutella that had to be cut with a knife, then don’t worry; it never really caught on. However, this failure did not stop Ferrero from trying again. He hit the drawing board and did 1951 he came up with a spreadable version. He called it Supercrema, and although its name was gimmicky, its taste was not.
Renamed Nutella in 1964.
https://medium.com/bc-digest/nutella-the-miracle-of-ww2-d9692b64217a