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William Salice

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William Salice
Salice in 2009
Born(1933-07-18)18 July 1933
Casei Gerola, Lombardy, Italy
Died29 December 2016(2016-12-29) (aged 83)
Pavia, Lombardy, Italy
OccupationBusinessperson
Known forCreating Kinder eggs

William Salice ("sah-lee-chee"; 18 July 1933 – 29 December 2016) was an Italian businessman. He was employed at Ferrero SpA, where he was credited as the inventor of Kinder Eggs.[1][2]

Life and career

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Salice was born on 18 July 1933, in the Italian comune of Casei Gerola.[1] He began working at Ferrero in 1960, and eventually became a close collaborator of the company's owner, Michele Ferrero.[2][3]

He thought up the concept of Kinder Surprise Eggs in the late sixties,[4] while researching alternative uses for the manufacturer's easter egg chocolate moulds, which went unused most of the year.[2] Despite this, he insisted on referring to Michele Ferrero as the inventor, claiming to merely be the idea's "material executor".[1][2] Kinder Eggs were launched in 1974.[4]

Salice also played a part in the creation of several other Ferrero products, such as Ferrero Rocher and Pocket Coffee.[2]

After his retirement in 2007, Salice co-founded the Color Your Life Foundation, alongside Italian entrepreneur Enrico Gasperini.[5] It provides free courses for young aspiring entrepreneurs.[6]

Salice died on 29 December 2016, in the town of Pavia, after suffering a stroke. He was 83.[1][2][3][4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "È morto William Salice, "esecutore materiale" dell'Ovetto Kinder". Il Sole 24 Ore (in Italian). 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "William Salice, creator of Kinder Surprise, dies at 83". The Straits Times. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Morto William Salice, collaboratore di Ferrero: inventò l'Ovetto Kinder". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "Morto William Salice, il "papà" degli ovetti Kinder". EuroNews (in Italian). 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Il Fondatori". www.coloryourlife.it (in Italian). Color Your Life Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  6. ^ "L'ex manager che aiuta i sognatori". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 7 July 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2016.