BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — On Tuesday, May 7, Ferrero North America celebrated the completion of a $75 million expansion to the continent's first Ferrero chocolate factory, in Bloomington, Illinois.
The 70,000-square-foot expansion will produce chocolate used in products like Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, Butterfinger, and CRUNCH. The facility is the first chocolate processing plant in North America and third globally.
“Central Illinois is the heart of our nation, and this most recent $75 million Ferrero expansion is an exciting addition to a thriving manufacturing landscape in the region,” said Governor JB Pritzker, who attended the ground breaking. “We have worked hard to make this one of the best states in the nation to do business, and to help companies like Ferrero deepen their roots here. Thank you to the folks at Ferrero for your commitment to the people of Illinois.”
In 2018, Ferrero took over management of a manufacturing plant in Franklin Park, Illinois, where they focus on Baby Ruth and Butterfinger products. Ferrero also manufactures Keebler products in Chicago, and in 2023 Ferrero opened an Innovation Center and R&D Lab in Chicago's Marshall Field and Company Building.
With nearly $300 million in output in Illinois, Ferrero North America has made big contributions to the state's economy as one of the largest in the area. The facility employs over 1,500 full-time staff.
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