Nutella Takes an Unintentional Journey to Space

Nutella enthusiasts likely already believe that the chocolate and hazelnut spread is extraordinary. Now, there’s an amusing twist: it actually made its way into space.

Some online commentators are calling this a “massive free advertising moment.” During a broadcast of NASA’s Artemis II mission, jars of Nutella appeared floating through the spacecraft’s kitchen, captured in real-time.

This unexpected turn of events happened just before 2:00 p.m. ET on April 6, when the mission’s four astronauts set a new record for being the farthest humans from Earth, surpassing the mark set by Apollo 13 back in 1970.

A user known as Tobi Mülhauser shared a viral clip on his page just minutes later, humorously declaring that “Nutella sets a world record for flying farther from Earth than anyone has ever done before,” complete with emojis of an astronaut and the moon.

One commenter noted, “The Artemis 2 crew breaking the distance record with a bottle of Nutella is the best accidental ad ever.”

Another joke made the rounds: “Nutella is drifting to the final frontier.”

Quick to seize the moment, Nutella’s marketing team shared a video with the caption, “Nutella is out of this world.”

NASA later clarified that the appearance of Nutella was not part of a marketing initiative. “We are proud to have reached unprecedented distances in history,” the Nutella team noted in a post that garnered over a million views.

The playful banter continued, with NASA’s Kennedy Center quipping: “The Artemis crew enjoys sweet treats while taking great photos of the moon!”

Yet, some on social media speculated whether NASA had orchestrated this moment for product placement or endorsement, prompting a swift denial. “NASA does not select crew meals or diets based on brand partnerships,” spokesperson Bethany Stevens stated, adding, “This was not a product placement.”