Ferrara Candy Company Is Shutting Down Its Little Village Plant

LITTLE VILLAGE — Ferrara Candy Company, the Chicago candy maker behind favorites like Laffy Taffy, Jelly Belly and Nerds, is shutting down its Little Village plant in April and laying off 154 employees, the company notified state authorities Monday.

The plant at 2945 W. 31st St. has not been operating at full capacity for several years and the company is now shifting production to other facilities, a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

“As a Chicago company of close to 120 years, this was an incredibly difficult decision, especially considering the great team at 31st Street,” the spokesperson said. “The decision to close our 31st Street plant takes into account market conditions and our long-term innovation roadmap.”

The company disclosed its plans to close the plant in a notification to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. A company spokesperson said Ferrara Candy Company plans sell the property upon ceasing operations at the plant.

Workers are invited to stay through the last production day and are encouraged to apply for other jobs within the company, the company said. Eligible workers will receive severance benefits and outplacement services to help them search for their next job, the company said.

Though the plant is closing, the company said its product availability and brands are not changing. The manufacturing plant in Little Village is where the company produced Funables Fruity Snacks and Stretch Island Fruit Strips, among other products, which will continue to be produced at other facilities.

“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’s statement reads.

Chicago has a history as a leading producer of candy products. In 1908, Salvatore Ferrara, an Italian immigrant, opened a pastry and candy shop in Little Italy, selling candy-covered almonds popular at Italian weddings, according to the company’s website. In 1919, as business grew, Ferrara opened a 15,000-square-foot plant in Little Italy.

Throughout the years, the company produced candies like Red Hots, Atomic Fireballs and Lemonheads. The company merged with other candy manufacturers in 2012 and in 2018 it bought Nestlé’s confectionery business, turning it into a giant in the candy industry.

Ferrara Candy Company remains headquartered in Chicago, with manufacturing plants in Illinois and California.

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