A ugusto Perfetti, along with his late brother Giorgio, inherited the Perfetti confectionery company, a business founded by their father and uncle in Italy after World War II. The brothers transformed the family's candy and chewing gum business into a global behemoth, primarily through a landmark acquisition. While the company was already successful with brands in Italy, its global trajectory was sealed in 2001.

In that year, Perfetti acquired the Dutch confectionery company Van Melle, creating the Perfetti Van Melle group. This merger brought iconic brands like Mentos and Fruittella into their portfolio. Five years later, in 2006, they made another transformative purchase, acquiring the Spanish company Chupa Chups, famous for its lollipops. These acquisitions turned Perfetti Van Melle into one of the largest confectionery manufacturers in the world. Augusto and his brother have been famously reclusive, running their massive, privately held empire from their residence in Switzerland and avoiding any media publicity.