Ferrero, is bringing 200 new jobs to the community with the opening of its first American Kinder Bueno production facility. The chocolate company celebrated the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday.

The Parsippany-based company already has a growing presence in the midwestern state, where it manufactures Butterfinger and Baby Ruth candy bars, as well as Keebler products.

Candy maker Ferrero may not be done growing in Bloomington-Normal even though the company's new $214 million chocolate plant is now officially open.

Ferrero initially announced plans for the factory — an expansion of an existing production facility in Bloomington that is home to the company’s first chocolate factory outside Europe — two

Since its introduction in late 2019, Kinder Bueno has reached No. 17 in sales among mainstream chocolate brands, hitting more than $214 million in retail sales in the past year.

Ferrero North America has opened its new Kinder Bueno production facility in Bloomington, Illinois, US. The expansion, which is the result of a $214 million investment, was first announced in November 2022 and has created around 200 new jobs and is set to drive Ferrero's market expansion.

Bloomington officials welcomed the completion of a 169,000-square-foot production facility for Kinder Bueno products.

Ferrero North America, part of the large Italian candy company the Ferrero Group, has expanded its Illinois presence with the opening of its new $214 million candy production facility in Bloomington on Monday.