Ferrero is an Italian manufacturer of confectionery products, best known for brands including Ferrero Rocher, Nutella and Kinder. A family-owned business dating back to 1940s Italy, Ferrero was transformed by Michele Ferrero – the late chocolate magnate who took over the company from his father, Pietro, in 1949 – who turned it from a small family enterprise into the global manufacturer that it is today. Michele Ferrero was instrumental in the development of products that has come to define the company’s portfolio – including Nutella, Kinder Surprise and Tic Tacs.

It entered a new era in 2015 when it acquired the British confectioner Thorntons for £112 million, kicking off a series of acquisitions emblematic of its ambition in the international confectionery segment. It has subsequently completed deals for Ferrara Candy, the former cookie business of Kellogg’s, and the US confectionery business of Nestlé.

In 2017, its newfound ambition was reflected in a landmark change in Ferrero’s boardroom: Giovanni Ferrero stepped back as CEO after 20 years, becoming chairman of the board, while the company appointed its first non-family chief executive in the business’ history.