The company known as Relanghe first started when the Ceretto family bought a vineyard in the Piedmont region of Italy. The purchase began with a focus on wine. However, when they stumbled upon a few acres of hazelnut trees as well, it was a surprising bonus.
Roberta Ceretto said that the orchard was a limited and very prestigious orchard. Many believe that’ hazelnuts are the best in the world. The family had a choice to sell the orchard or focus on wine. Alternatively, they turned their discovery into something profitable. The Ceretto’s first love is wine, but candy ranks high with them. They ultimately decided to venture into the hazelnut candy business.
The family began to set up a small company called Relanghe, named after the orchard where their hazelnuts grow. They built a factory in Alba, a city known for its white truffles and the famous Alba Cathedral. Undoubtedly, this means the creation of jobs in the region. They hired skilled confectioners to work at the factory. Using talent from the workers’ expertise to create the new business.
Inside the factory, fresh hazelnuts will go in the mixer with a nougat. Using a handmade process that is a tradition of the region. The delicious candy comprises 50% Nocciole Piemonte (the great local hazelnuts), white cane sugar from Cuba, honey, a little vanilla, and some glucose.
Honey and sugar are cooked for four hours to create a soft nougat piece or eight hours to create a crunchy nougat. In addition, the hazelnuts are roasted, bagged, and chilled until it’s time to add them to the soft nougat. The cooked candy is spread and allowed to be set. Finally, inside one of the few automated machines in the factory, the candy is cut and packaged. The company also produces a few other types of candies with hazelnuts. Consequently, it is the nougat rules in production and popularity.
Relanghe makes about one hundred tons of candy per year. Confidently, they claim they manufacture the best-tasting and healthiest hazelnuts in the world. Interested in seeing for yourself? Surely, you can find these treats in the United States through Corti Brothers, a store located in California.
Love all things Hazelnut? Read all about The American Hazelnut Company here.
