Ferrero breaks ground on new chocolate processing facility in Bloomington, Illinois

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.

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 USD 75 m 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 USD 300 m 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." The new facility is set to open spring 2023.