Ferrero breaks ground on new chocolate processing facility in Bloomington, Illinois, its first ever in North America

The $75M project will bring up to 50 new jobs to the state and grow Ferrero's economic impact on the Illinois economy

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Oct 13, 2021, 13:40 ET

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Oct. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ferrero North America, part of the global confectionery company the Ferrero Group, today broke ground on a new chocolate processing facility in Bloomington, Illinois. It will be the Ferrero Group's third facility that processes chocolate, and its first outside of Europe. State and local leaders joined Ferrero at a ceremony to celebrate the occasion, including Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Sylvia Garcia and Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker delivered remarks via video.

Ferrero breaks ground on its first chocolate processing facility in Bloomington, IL, its first in North America. Left to right: Congressman Rodney Davis, Ferrero Group Chief Institutional Affairs & Corporate Communications Officer Anne Edwards, Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe, Ferrero North America President & CEO Todd Siwak, Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Sylvia Garcia, and Ferrero Vice President Industrial Operations Federico Forti.

The new facility is an expansion of Ferrero's existing Bloomington manufacturing center and will produce chocolate for CRUNCH, 100Grand, Raisinets, and other Ferrero products for the North American market. The $75M project will add 70,000 square feet to Ferrero's current Beich Road footprint and add as many as 50 new jobs. Annually, Ferrero currently spends nearly $300 million in Illinois, supporting over 1,300 employees and 560 suppliers.

"The ability to process high quality chocolate here in North America is instrumental to building on our important growth in this market, which is advancing Ferrero towards our goal of being a world leader in global confectionery," said Todd Siwak, President and Chief Business Officer of Ferrero North America. "I am so happy that we are able to reach this important milestone in Illinois, the heart of America's food and confections industry."

"With its first-ever U.S. chocolate processing facility, Ferrero will create new jobs and economic opportunity in the Bloomington region, and will carry forward Illinois' proud food manufacturing tradition," said Gov. Pritzker. "Companies like Ferrero continue to choose Illinois thanks to our talented workforce and our role as a transportation hub for the nation, which makes our state a number one choice for production, innovation, and global distribution. We thank Ferrero for its vote of confidence in Illinois and look forward to supporting the company's continued success here."

"Ferrero's continued investment in Illinois is a testament to the caliber of our talent, the strength of our infrastructure, and our direct access to markets across the country and around the globe," said Sylvia Garcia, Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). "Under Governor Pritzker's leadership, Illinois is committed to upholding our status as the leading Midwest destination for food production and supporting new and existing companies in their plans to innovate, fuel jobs, and produce their household brands from right here in Illinois."

"We are so fortunate to have a global corporation like Ferrero breaking ground," said Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe. "Their confidence in Bloomington can only strengthen our already vibrant business community."

Ferrero has made North America a focus for investment in recent years, including the expansion of its North American headquarters in New Jersey, new distribution centers in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia, and significant development of facilities in Franklin Park, Illinois as well as Bloomington. The company's footprint in the market now totals eight offices and ten plants and warehouses in North America, including a cocoa processing plant in Brantford, Ontario.

Ghafari Associates provided architectural and engineering design services for the bid documents associated with the project. Additionally, Ghafari will provide technical support and on-site construction supervision. The Austin Company is Ferrero's design-build partner responsible for the engineering and construction of the project.

The new facility is set to open Spring 2023.

About Ferrero:

For over 70 years, Ferrero has created products loved by generations. We've grown from a bakery in Alba, Italy into the third largest confectionery company in the world. Ferrero entered the North American market in 1969 and continues to spread joy with Ferrero Rocher®, Nutella®, Kinder®, Tic Tac® and Fannie May® chocolates. Ferrero Group expanded its portfolio in 2018 with the addition of Butterfinger®, CRUNCH®, Baby Ruth®, 100Grand® and other legendary chocolate brands.

We are a family-owned company with 3,000 employees in eight offices and ten plants and warehouses in North America, including a cocoa processing plant in Brantford, Ontario and a planned chocolate processing factory in Bloomington, Illinois. Instilled in every aspect of our business is the entrepreneurial spirit of our founders, and their passion for quality, creativity, and innovation. Follow @FerreroNACorp on Twitter and @FerreroNACorp on Instagram. www.ferreronorthamerica.com

About Ghafari Associates:

An innovator since 1982, Ghafari embraces an integrated design approach to deliver solutions that connect building operations, systems, and people. This approach is made possible by the firm's full complement of capabilities, including architecture, interior design, civil + structural engineering, MEP, ICT + security, and operations + systems engineering. Winner of Engineering News-Record Midwest's "Design Firm of the Year" award in 2017, Ghafari supports the food, aviation, corporate / commercial, education, government and institutional, healthcare, and industrial / manufacturing sectors through 14 offices across the globe. To learn more, visit ghafari.com.

About The Austin Company:

The Austin Company is a design-builder that takes facilities from site selection, design, and engineering to construction and maintenance. Founded in 1878, Austin provides clients with decades of industry know-how coupled with innovative solutions designed to solve the toughest challenges. Austin has served as the trusted partner to hundreds of industrial manufacturing companies – a trust earned by designing and building safe, quality, budget-conscious facilities. They deliver "Results, not Excuses®". Austin's experience includes production and packaging plants, automated distribution, bulk storage warehouses, research laboratories, and operations centers.

Press Contact:

Hugh McMullen
[email protected]
740-707-7493

SOURCE Ferrero North America