Ferrero, maker of Kinder Joy, begins $9M expansion of New Jersey facility

Expansion will bring facility’s total area to 67,000 sq. ft.

Ferrero recently commemorated the expansion of its industrial business in Franklin Township, N.J. Ferrero executives and local employees, led by Paul Chibe, president and ceo of Ferrero North America, were joined by U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman; Somerset County Freeholders Patricia Walsh and Mark Caliguire; Phillip Kramer, Mayor of Franklin Township; and local business partners. Photo from Ferrero.

Ferrero USA has broken ground for a $9 million expansion of its industrial facility in Franklin Township, Somerset, N.J.

Once complete, the expansion will add nearly 100 local jobs and bring the facility to a total of 67,000 sq. ft. of warehousing and packaging space.

In attendance at the ground breaking ceremony was Paul Chibe, president and ceo of Ferrero North America, as well as New Jersey dignitaries and elected officials including U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman; Franklin Township Mayor Phillip Kramer; Patricia Walsh, Freeholder, Somerset County; and Michael Kerwin, president and ceo of Somerset County Business Partnership.

"We are proud to do business in Franklin Township, and we're thrilled to be expanding our existing operations here," Chibe said. "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."

Since 2016, Ferrero has invested $12 million into the Somerset facility to support the launch of Kinder Joy, an egg-shaped package that holds a sweet treat on one side and a surprise toy on the other, which was previously available outside of North America.

Since its U.S. debut in November 2017, Kinder Joy surpassed all Ferrero and industry targets for a new product, with more than 90 million eggs sold. The product’s success has prompted Ferrero to spend an additional $9 million in investments in 2018.

Last year, Ferrero USA employed up to 500 seasonal employees through local agencies. With the investments, the total number of employees is estimated to grow up to 600 seasonal employees. The location currently employs 35 salaried employees with an additional four salaried employees expected in 2019.

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Alyse Thompson has held many positions with BNP Media, first serving as an intern at Candy Industry Magazine in summer 2012. She joined Candy Industry's staff full time as associate editor in August 2016 after a few years at newspapers in West-Central Illinois, becoming managing editor in March 2019. Alyse has also served as managing editor of Cannabis Products Magazine since March 2019. She has bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from Western Illinois University.