Nestlé’s three US confectionery manufacturing facilities in Illinois and its associated office space in California are now managed by Ferrero-owned Ferrara, said the company.

Nestlé did not immediately comment on any executive position changes upon the acquisition, but the president of its confections and global foods division, Carlos Velasco​​, previously noted his responsibilities at the National Confectioners Association (NCA) would be terminated, and he would no longer be part of NCA’s board.

The $2.8bn deal makes Ferrero the third largest manufacturer​​ in the US chocolate market, according to Euromonitor.

However, analysts suspected that Nestlé’s not being premium might be a challenge as Ferrero hoped to expand its US footprint with more premium products​​, ConfectioneryNews previously reported. For example, the company purchased Chicago-based chocolate company Fannie May​​ about a year ago.

Giovanni Ferrero, executive chairman of the Ferrero group, said, “[Nestlé’s US candy brands are] a strong addition to Ferrero’s growing US platform, which includes the ​recently acquired Ferrara​​​ Candy Company and Fannie May Confections Brands.​

“With our substantially increased scale and broader offering of high-quality products across the chocolate snack, sugar confectionery and seasonal categories, Ferrero is poised for continued growth in the key US market,”​ he added.