Ferrero expands Brantford confectionery production

New products for Brantford

Ferrero is expanding its confectionery facility in Brantford, Ontario, with a C$445 million investment. The project will introduce Ferrero Rocher chocolate squares and establish the first production of Nutella Biscuits outside Europe. The expansion is expected to create 500 additional jobs.

The expanded facility will use Internet of Things systems and advanced robotics to support productivity and operational efficiency, according to Ferrero Canada President Omar Zausa. Ontario has announced C$36 million in funding support through the Invest Ontario Fund.

Building on earlier investment

Ferrero established its Brantford plant in 2006. A separate expansion announced in 2016 carried an investment value of C$36.1 million and proposed production lines for three additional products. Those products were intended for sale across North America, extending the site’s existing manufacturing activities.

The 2016 programme included a C$1.5 million grant from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund. At that time, the project was expected to create 55 jobs while retaining 831 existing positions. Its announced completion target was August 2017; those employment commitments belonged to that earlier investment.

Ferrero.

A manufacturing base serving North America

The Brantford factory’s product range in 2016 included Nutella, Kinder Surprise, Tic Tac, Ferrero Rocher and Raffaello. A Ferrero Canada spokesperson described the location as a catalyst for expanding the company’s North American business and expressed appreciation for provincial support.

Earlier workforce records used a different basis: the plant’s August 31, 2014 count of 1,246 people included temporary workers. It represented 3.6% of Ferrero’s group workforce and ranked eighth among its factories by employee numbers. These figures retain their original reporting period.

Production and supply-chain plans

The Brantford site already manufactures Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder products. The new investment adds two production priorities:

Ferrero Rocher chocolate squares.
Nutella Biscuits manufactured beyond the European production base.

Ferrero has committed to sourcing key ingredients and packaging materials within Ontario. An overall commissioning date for the expansion has not been specified.