Ferrero breaks ground on multi-million US Kinder Bueno production facilities
Ferrero executives and government officials break ground on Ferrero's new Kinder Bueno production facility in Bloomington, Illinois. Pic: Ferrero
Plans for a key $214 million expansion of Ferrero North America’s Kinder Bueno production facility in Bloomington, Illinois, have taken a key step forward as the business broke ground on the major project, reports Neill Barston.
As the company explained, the move is set to bring around 200 jobs for the business, which is behind brands including Nutella, Tic Tac, Butterfinger and Crunch confectionery ranges.
It will expand the existing footprint of the Bloomington site by 169,000 square feet, as the company continues to expand in the region, and it is slated to become operational in 2024.
Ghafari Associates provided architectural and engineering design services for the bid documents associated with the production facility. Furthermore, the firm will also 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.
State and local leaders, including Governor JB Pritzker, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe, and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Sylvia Garcia joined Ferrero executives in a ceremony to celebrate the milestone.
“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 #7 brand in the category, growing by 26% since last year. The expansion represents the first time Kinder products will be made in North America.
“Central Illinois sits in the heart of our nation, so it’s only fitting that it serves as the heart of Ferrero’s North American operations: CRUNCH, 100 Grand, Raisinets, and now Kinder Bueno, all made right here,” said Illinois Governor JB Pritzke.
This groundbreaking represents the latest milestone in Ferrero’s growth and investment in North America over 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 Centre 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.
