Ferrero North America broke ground on its new Kinder Bueno production facility in Bloomington, Illinois. The company expects to add 200 jobs to its existing manufacturing footprint there with the $214.4 million investment.
Slated to open in 2024, the facility, which adds 169,000 square feet to the existing manufacturing campus in Bloomington, will support North American growth of Kinder Bueno, which debuted stateside three years ago.
"This investment will fuel our momentum in North America, a strategic growth area for Ferrero,” says Alanna Cotton, president and chief business officer of Ferrero North America. “Enhancing our manufacturing capabilities in the market is key to driving our innovation agenda and advancing Ferrero's goal of becoming a world leader in snacks and confectionery. We're grateful for the strong partnerships we have with state and local leaders here, and proud that our expansion is part of Bloomington's amazing success story."
Ferrero’s North American operations in central Illinois include the production of Crunch, 100 Grand and Raisinets products.
The company has invested significantly in North America over the past few years. A chocolate processing plant is under construction at the Bloomington campus, and a facility in Brantford, Ont., was recently expanded. Next year, Ferrero will open a new innovation center in Chicago, which will include research and development labs and offices for the cookies, cones and crusts brand teams. Ferrero North America employs 4,400 in eight offices and 12 plants and warehouses in the US, Canada and the Caribbean.
