Ferrero is the family name in the title of the Italian chocolate company founded by Pietro Ferrero in 1946.
Pietro Ferrero established the business in Alba, Piedmont, after developing a hazelnut-based confection that helped stretch scarce cocoa supplies after World War II. His son Michele Ferrero later transformed the family firm into an international food company.
The company is known for Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder, and Tic Tac. Nutella developed from earlier hazelnut-and-cocoa products, including Supercrema, and became one of the world's best-known spreads.
Ferrero remains family-owned, although its operations are global. It is different from Perugina, another Italian chocolate name, and from Barilla, the pasta company founded in Parma. In 2018, Ferrero expanded significantly in the United States by acquiring Nestlé's American confectionery business.