Ferrero has manufactured Kinder Surprise eggs since 1974. The Italian confection combines a milk-chocolate egg with a small toy enclosed in a yellow plastic capsule, creating the product’s signature surprise.
The idea drew on an Italian Easter tradition in which adults give children large chocolate eggs containing gifts. Ferrero adapted that seasonal concept into a product intended to provide a small surprise throughout the year. Michele Ferrero developed the concept, while William Salice helped turn it into a commercial product.
Kinder Surprise became one of the best-known products in Ferrero’s Kinder range. The toys may be simple figures, vehicles, or small assembly kits, and some older series have become collectible. More than 100 new toy designs have been distributed in some years, contributing to a large collector community.
A common mix-up concerns the United States, where traditional Kinder Surprise eggs have faced restrictions because the toy is enclosed inside the chocolate. Ferrero later sold Kinder Joy there, with the candy and toy separated into two compartments. That regulatory distinction does not change the original manufacturer or launch date: Ferrero introduced Kinder Surprise in 1974.