Maria Franca Fissolo

Ferrero International SpA, more commonly known as Ferrero Group or simply Ferrero, is an Italian multinational company with headquarters in Alba.

Ferrero is a manufacturer of branded chocolate and confectionery products, and the second biggest chocolate producer and confectionery company in the world.

Ferrero SA is a private company owned by the Ferrero family and has been described as "one of the world's most secretive firms".

It was founded on 14 May 1946 in Alba, Piedmont, Italy, by Pietro Ferrero, a confectioner and small-time pastry maker who laid the groundwork for Nutella.

The company saw a period of tremendous growth and success under Pietro's son Michele Ferrero, who in turn handed over the daily operations to his sons, Pietro Jr. and Giovanni Ferrero (the founder's grandsons).

In 1946, Pietro Ferrero invented a cream of hazelnuts and cocoa, derived from gianduja and called it Pasta Gianduja.

The initial product came in solid loaves wrapped in aluminium foil, which had to be sliced with a knife, and was succeeded by a spreadable version called Supercrema.

With assistance from his brother Giovanni Ferrero Sr., Pietro Ferrero created his new company to produce and market the initial product.

Pietro was succeeded by his son Michele Ferrero as chief executive.

Michele and his wife Maria Franca relaunched his father's recipe as Nutella, which was first sold in 1964.

After World War II, they opened production sites and offices abroad, and Nutella eventually became the world's leading chocolate-nut spread brand.

Ferrero produces several lines of confectionery goods under various brand names, as well as the chocolate-hazelnut spread Nutella (since 1964).

Ferrero uses one-quarter of the world's annual hazelnut supply.

It also produces the line of Ferrero branded chocolate products, including Pocket Coffee, Mon Chéri, Confetteria Raffaello, Ferrero Küsschen and the Ferrero Prestige line, which comprises three different brands of pralines: Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Rondnoir, and Garden Coco.

Ferrero's Kinder brand line of chocolate products includes Kinder Surprise, Kinder Joy, Kinder Chocolate, Kinder Happy Hippo, Kinder Maxi, Kinder Duplo, Kinder Country, Kinder Délice, and Kinder Bueno.

The company also produces Tic Tac mints, available in a variety of flavours, along with sugar free versions.

In 1983, the company established the Ferrero Foundation in Alba, Piedmont at the wish of Michele Ferrero.

The foundation promotes activities in the areas of art, science, history and literature by organizing conventions, conferences, seminars and exhibitions.

It also offers health and social assistance to ex-employees who have been with the group for at least 25 years.

Reputation Institute's 2009 survey ranked Ferrero as the most reputable company in the world.

Pietro Jr., who oversaw global business, died in April 2011 of a heart attack while cycling in South Africa at the age of 47.

The Ferrero Group worldwide – now headed by executive chairman Giovanni Ferrero – includes 38 trading companies, 18 factories, and approximately 40,000 employees, and produces around 365,000 tonnes of Nutella each year.

Other Ferrero products include Giotto, Fiesta Ferrero, Hanuta chocolate hazelnut-filled wafers and Gran Soleil frozen desserts, which won the company an innovation award in March 2011.

Ferrero is the world's largest consumer of hazelnuts, buying up 25% of global production in 2014.

The company is currently run by Giovanni Ferrero, grandson of Pietro and son of Michele Ferrero.

On 6 April 2022, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) began investigating a "rapidly evolving" outbreak of salmonella linked to Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs.

The outbreak affected European countries, with products being recalled "as a precautionary step".

Products were also recalled in Canada and the US.

On 8 April, Belgian authorities ordered the closure of a Kinder chocolate factory in Arlon suspected to be behind the outbreak.

On 12 April, the EFSA and the ECDC published a rapid outbreak assessment on a multi-country outbreak of monophasic salmonella typhimurium linked to chocolate products made at the Belgian factory.

The report found that in December 2021, salmonella was detected in a buttermilk tank at the Belgian establishment during the manufacturer's own checks, and the chocolate products were distributed across Europe and globally.

As of 8 April 2022, 150 cases had been reported in ten European countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Ferrero has been producing Thorntons products since acquiring the company in 2015.