For decades, Ferrero International carved out a prominent and envious niche in U.S. confections selling its iconic line of Nutella chocolate and hazelnut spread, golden wrapped Ferrero Rochers and minty Tic Tacs. But in recent years the premium candy giant has double downed on its U.S. presence through a series of high-profile deals topping $5 billion in value even while its competitors flee from the space or minimize their dependence on sweets as consumers turn to healthier snacks. 

While the ambitious bet appears to be a radical departure from its conservative past or in stark contrast to current food trends, Ferrero's North American chief insists it's an opportunistic move and one that better positions the 73-year-old company for success. "For us to be a global company, we have to have a good presence here in the United States," Paul Chibe, president and CEO of Ferrero North America, told Food Dive. "The United States has been a market where we had an opportunity to grow and kind of reach the same levels of development that we (have) in other parts of the world."