Ferrero North America has broken ground on a new $214.4 million Kinder Bueno chocolate processing and product manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Ill. Projected to open in 2024, the facility will add 169,000 sq ft to Ferrero’s existing manufacturing campus in Bloomington, and create 200 new jobs.
The expansion represents the first time Kinder products will be made in North America, and will support the North American growth of Kinder Bueno, which Ferrero launched in the area in 2019, and is now the #7 brand in the category, growing by 26% since last year.
The Austin Company is Ferrero’s design-build partner responsible for the engineering and construction of the project. Ghafari Associates provided architectural and engineering design services for the bid documents associated with the production facility, and also will provide technical support and on-site construction supervision.
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“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,” says 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 project represents the latest milestone in Ferrero’s recent growth and investment in North America. The company recently expanded its capacity in its Brantford, Ontario plant. Plus, Ferrero is slated to open a new Innovation Center next year that will include R&D labs and offices for its brand teams in Chicago.
