PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Ferrero North America on Tuesday celebrated the opening of its first chocolate processing facility in North America and third globally.
The 70,000-square-foot expansion to Ferrero's manufacturing campus in Bloomington, Illinois, produces chocolate for some of Ferrero's iconic brands, including Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, Butterfinger and Crunch.
"Bringing Ferrero's decades of experience making high-quality, world class chocolate to Illinois – the heart of America's food and confections industry – is going to help us achieve our goal of being the sweets and treats leader in the market," said Alanna Cotton, president and chief business officer of Ferrero North America. "Ferrero and Bloomington are going to be greater together for years to come."
The investment further expands Ferrero's footprint in Illinois. The company manufactures Butterfinger and Baby Ruth products at its plant in Franklin Park, and Keebler products on 110th Street in Chicago. Last year, the company opened its new Innovation Center and R&D Labs in Chicago's historic Marshall Field and Company building. The Ferrero manufacturing campus in Bloomington manufactures Crunch, 100 Grand and Raisinets in addition to now processing chocolate. The campus will also soon house a new $214 million Kinder Bueno production facility, expected to create 200 additional jobs when it opens later this year.
"Ferrero's investments have been a key driver of the incredible growth of our community," said Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe. "I look forward to prospering together for years to come."
The chocolate processing facility is part of Ferrero's overall growth and investment in North America. In addition to new projects in Illinois, the company recently invested in new capacity and capabilities for its Brantford, Ontario, plant and added distribution centers in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona, as well as invested in Oregon's hazelnut growers. Ferrero's North American presence now totals more than 5,100 employees across eight offices and 12 plants and warehouses in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.