Nutella®, Pearl Milling Company, and National Volunteer Fire Council Partner to Support Local Fire Departments Through 2026 Nutella Stacks for Giving Back Program
March 10, 2026
$50,000 in fire department grants and 350 pancake breakfast fundraiser kits will be awarded
As a brand that aspires to spread smiles for over 60 years, Nutella® is seeking to shine a light on those who spread positivity in their local communities through “Stacks for Giving Back.” In the third year of the program, Nutella has once again partnered with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to award $25,000 in fire department grants. New this year, Pearl Milling Company, the official pancake partner of Nutella, is providing an additional $25,000 in grants. Consumers can also nominate fire departments to give them a chance to receive Nutella Pancake Breakfast Kits to help pull off their next pancake fundraiser.
Volunteer fire departments often struggle to find adequate funding to purchase needed equipment, recruit and retain firefighters, and keep up with high pressure demands due to increasing call volume, new training requirements, and much more. Nutella launched the Stacks for Giving Back program to help departments secure the necessities they need to best serve their communities. In 2026, Nutella has partnered with Pearl Milling Company and the NVFC to award $5,000 grants to 10 deserving departments. To be eligible to apply, departments must be over 50% volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be located in the U.S., and have an NVFC member. Applications are due April 30.
In addition, many fire departments rely on donations received through local fundraising events. Nutella hopes to honor and celebrate all that firefighters do by providing them with the materials and tasty products they need to hold a fundraising pancake breakfast. This year, 350 departments will be awarded a Pancake Breakfast Kit containing the necessary supplies and ingredients – including Nutella, Pearl Milling Company pancake mix, and much more – to host their next delicious fundraiser. Consumers have until April 30 to nominate a department.
The Nutella Stacks for Giving Back grants are making a big impact on local departments. The Landis Volunteer Fire Department in Marshall, AR, was able to purchase SCBA tanks and wildland fire protection equipment and gear thanks to the 2025 grant. “Leveraging the grant money by purchasing new and pre-owned personal protective equipment from online suppliers allowed us to provide more equipment to better protect our firefighters when they are protecting the community,” said department treasurer Lucinda Rolen.
The Cleveland (AL) Volunteer Fire Department is now able to put all of their trucks in service thanks to the equipment and tools they purchased with the grant. “Morale has improved, training has improved, and members can now work on and train on a truck that was out of service and unavailable until we received this grant, which enabled us to get the equipment we needed to move enough resources to use this valuable truck,” said Assistant Fire Chief David Hackworth.
Chili Fremont Fire & Rescue was able to get more bang for their buck thanks to the grant. They had planned to use the grant to purchase stabilization struts and step chocks, but after communicating the purpose of the grant with the vendor they were able to also add in rescue tools and high visibility vests to better protect their responders. “By explaining the grant’s mission and goals, the vendor was able to adjust pricing, reduce shipping costs, and help maximize the impact of the funds. Being transparent with vendors can stretch grant dollars while maintaining the grant objective.”
Learn more and apply for the chance to receive a grant at www.nvfc.org/nutellastacksforgivingback.
Nominate a local department for the chance to win a pancake breakfast kit at https://nutellastacksforgivingback.com/nvfc.
About Nutella®
Nutella was born in 1964. The unique hazelnut spread that millions of people around the world love is made with a meticulous selection of high-quality ingredients and an exacting, artisan-inspired production. Today, the popular hazelnut spread is available in around 160 countries worldwide and has expanded to offer delicious snacks filled with creamy Nutella, including Nutella Biscuits, Nutella B-ready, and Nutella & Go.
About Ferrero®
Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world’s largest sweet-packaged food companies, with over 35 iconic brands sold in more than 170 countries. The Ferrero Group brings joy to people around the world with much-loved treats and snacks including Nutella®, Kinder®, Tic Tac®, and Ferrero Rocher®. More than 38,000 employees are passionate about helping people celebrate life’s special moments. The Ferrero Group’s family culture, now in its third generation, is based on dedication to quality and excellence, heritage and a commitment to the planet and communities in which we operate.
Ferrero entered the North American market in 1969 and has grown to more than 5,100 employees in 15 plants and warehouses, and eight offices in North America across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. It has expanded its presence and portfolio with the addition of iconic brands such as Butterfinger®, CRUNCH®, Keebler®, Famous Amos®, Mother’s Cookies®, and other distinctive cookie and chocolate brands. Follow @FerreroNACorp on X and Instagram. www.ferreronorthamerica.com
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo is the parent company of Pearl Milling Company. PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $94 billion in net revenue in 2025, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and drinks, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that places sustainability at the center of our business strategy, seeking to drive growth and build a stronger, more resilient future for PepsiCo and the communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
About the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire and emergency medical services. The NVFC unites and supports volunteer and combination fire and EMS organizations through education, advocacy, leadership development, and collaboration. Guided by professionalism and innovation, we provide the tools and resources needed to protect communities, advance responder health and safety, and prepare leaders for the future. Learn more and join at www.nvfc.org.
