Chicago-based Ferrara Candy to close Little Village manufacturing plant in April 2027
Chicago-based Ferrara Candy Company will shut down its Little Village manufacturing plant next April and shift operations to other facilities.
The planned April 2027 shuttering of the plant at 31st Street and Sacramento Avenue will result in 154 layoffs, according to a WARN notice filed with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
However, Ferrara said all employees at the plant will be given the chance to apply for other jobs at the company and its affiliate network.
"As a Chicago company of close to 120 years, this was an incredibly difficult decision, especially considering the great team at 31st Street," the company said in a statement. "The decision to close our 31st Street plant takes into account market conditions and our long-term innovation roadmap."
Ferrara has four other manufacturing facilities in the Chicago area in Bellwood, DeKalb, Forest Park, and Itasca. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to build a new $675 million manufacturing plant in South Carolina. Ferrara also has other U.S. manufacturing facilities in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Pennsylvania, and Texas; as well as overseas manufacturing plants in England, France, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, and Thailand.
The company said the closure of the Little Village plant is not expected to affect the availability of its candy brands, including Brachs, Chuckles, Jelly Belly, Jujyfruits, Laffy Taffy, Lemonheads, Nerds, Now and Laters, Red Hots, and SweeTARTS. Ferrara said the Little Village plant has not been operating at full capacity for several years, and its candy production can be shifted to other facilities.
Ferrara's corporate headquarters, which moved from Oakbrook Terrace to the Old Post Office building in the West Loop in 2018, and employs more than 600 people, also will remain in Chicago.
"Ferrara is deeply grateful to Chicago's Little Village community for years of partnership and neighborly collaboration. We remain committed to Chicago, home to our global headquarters," the company said.