Ferrero Breaks Ground on New $214 Million Kinder Bueno Facility in Bloomington, IL
Ferrero North America, part of the global sweet-packaged food company Ferrero Group known for Nutella, Tic Tac, Butterfinger and CRUNCH branded products, has broken ground on its new Kinder Bueno production facility in Bloomington, IL. The $214.4 million investment will add 200 new jobs to Ferrero’s existing manufacturing footprint in Bloomington.
“This investment will fuel our momentum in North America, a strategic growth area for Ferrero. 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,” said Alanna Cotton, President and Chief Business Officer of Ferrero North America. “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.”
The new facility will support the North American growth of Kinder Bueno, which Ferrero launched in the market in 2019 and has since made it the No. 7 brand in the category, growing by 26 percent since last year. The expansion represents the first time Kinder products will be made in North America.
This groundbreaking represents the latest milestone in Ferrero’s growth and investment in North America during the past few years. A chocolate processing facility is currently under construction on the company’s Bloomington campus, and it recently expanded its capacity in its Brantford, Ontario plant. In 2023 the company is slated to open a new Innovation Center that will include new R&D labs and offices for its cookies, cones and crusts brand teams in Chicago. Ferrero’s North American presence now totals more than 4,400 employees in eight offices and twelve plants and warehouses in the US, Canada and the Caribbean.
Ghafari Associates provided architectural and engineering design services for the bid documents associated with the production facility. 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, which will add 169,000 square feet to Ferrero’s existing manufacturing campus in Bloomington, is slated to open in 2024.