If you’ve been watching the vegan grocery space for the last year, you may have known this was coming. Nutella Peanut has officially landed on store shelves, and I picked up a jar at Walmart. It’s been spotted at other regional grocers as well, and is also available online at Amazon (link to my storefront here).
What’s in it?
The ingredient list reads: sugar, peanuts, palm oil, peanut flour, cocoa, hazelnuts, lecithin, salt, and vanillin. No milk powder, which is the big deal here. That’s what makes this Nutella’s first officially dairy-free spread released in the U.S., and although Ferrero hasn’t slapped a “vegan” label on the jar, the brand’s own FAQs confirm it: “Yes, Nutella Peanut is a plant-based product.”
Why peanut and not just a vegan Nutella spread?
The reason is reportedly that this spread was built specifically for the American market. The USDA has found that peanuts account for 65 percent of all US nut consumption (roughly eight pounds per person annually but I know I personally eat more!) and Ferrero clearly did their homework. The company spent five years developing Nutella Peanut, which tells you this isn’t a casual product development. It’s being positioned as something new for spreading, dipping, and snacking that brings together cocoa, hazelnut, and peanut flavor all in one jar.
How does it taste?
Early tasters have described it as a thick, melted Reese’s cup vibe with hazelnut lingering on the finish. I tried it and that tracks for me. I found it incredibly smooth, with peanut upfront and hazelnut coming through at the end. Those two flavors together shouldn’t work, but they did for me. Everyone has their own “good” though, so always best to try for yourself. It’s worth noting I’ve been vegan since 1994 so I’ve never had original Nutella to compare it to, but on its own, this was a very good spread to me.
Is this a limited release?
That part isn’t fully settled yet. Whether Nutella Peanut stays or becomes permanent will likely depend on how quickly it earns a place in American’s shopping carts. That said, Ferrero reportedly invested $75 million in its Franklin Park, Illinois facility to support this rollout, which isn’t the kind of commitment a brand makes for a quick test. Nutella has nearly doubled its U.S. sales since 2020, and this feels like a deliberate next chapter.
About that Nutella in space moment.
On April 6, a full-sized Nutella jar floated into view during NASA’s Artemis II livestream, just minutes before the crew broke the distance record at 252,752 miles from Earth. The jar drifted off a shelf in slow motion, label perfectly on display, while the crew didn’t even turn around. NASA confirmed it was not product placement, just a happy accident. Nutella reposted the clip with “Nutella is out of this world” and saw a 910 percent spike in brand mentions in a single day. No marketing budget buys that type of advertising.
Nutella Peanut is available now at Walmart, Amazon and spreading to regional grocers. Pricing may vary, so check your local stores.
