Headquartered in Parsippany, Ferrero North America has a product lineup that includes Butterfinger, Baby Ruth, Nutella, Crunch, Keebler, Famous Amos and Kinder.

After starting as a small pastry shop in Italy nearly 80 years ago, Ferrero has grown to become a global leader in sweet-packaged foods, such as confectionery, biscuits, ice cream and better-for-you-snacking, with over 35 brands sold in more than 170 countries.

Since entering the North American market in 1969, Ferrero has grown to more than 5,400 employees in eight offices and 15 plants and warehouses in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.

The confectionary giant has also forged several high-profile collaborations over the past two years. In April, Ferrero renewed a partnership with the New York Yankees to bring its Baby Ruth candy bar to the Bronx stadium through the end of the 2024 baseball season. And this past fall, Ferrero’s Butterfinger returned as the official candy bar of Egg Harbor-based seasonal retailer Spirit Halloween. As part of the tie-up, the two unveiled a collection of Butterfinger-inspired costumes.

Ferrero also boosted its investment in U.S.-grown hazelnuts with a $170,000 research grant to Rutgers University. The company said the award will support the school’s ongoing efforts to bring commercial farming of hazelnuts – an essential ingredient of Nutella spread and Ferrero Rocher premium chocolate – to the Northeast.

Within the past two years, Ferrero has unwrapped several state-of-the-art sites in Illinois, including a $214 million production facility for Kinder Bueno brand chocolate bars, and a $75 million chocolate factory for Butterfinger and Ferrero Rocher candies. It also unveiled a new research & development laboratory and innovation center in Chicago as a location to develop new confections, cookies and other treats.