Ferrero invests $9m to expand New Jersey confectionery plant

Ferrero USA has invested $9 million to expand its confectionery production facility in Franklin Township, New Jersey.

Ferrero says the expansion will add nearly 100 new jobs at the site and will increase the size of packaging and warehousing space at the facility to 67,000 square feet.

The site predominantly produces confectionery for the company’s Kinder Joy brand, the company’s iconic chocolate egg which includes a toy inside the shell, which was introduced to the US market in 2017.

Demand for the brand has surpassed the company’s initial expectations, with the company selling 90 million Kinder Joy eggs since its launch, and this exponential demand has made this expansion necessary.

This new investment is in addition to the $12 million that Ferrero has invested into the facility since 2016, which was made to ensure the successful launch of Kinder Joy.

Paul Chibe president and CEO of Ferrero North America said: “We are proud to do business in Franklin Township, and we’re thrilled to be expanding our existing operations here.

“This renovation demonstrates the ongoing commitment Ferrero has to doing business in the state of New Jersey, and we’re confident this will continue to be a successful partnership for us all.”

Earlier this year, Ferrero agreed to purchase Nestlé’s US confectionery operations for $2.8 billion, as the company wanted to further expand its business in the US following last year’s purchases of Ferrara Candy and boxed chocolate company Fannie May.