Ferrero To Launch Nutella Peanut, Expand Suburban Chicago Plant

May 9, 2025

The first new flavor of the iconic hazelnut spread in its 60-year history will roll out of a Franklin Park, Ill., plant expanded with a $75 million investment.

Dave Fusaro

Still giddy over being the birthplace of the new pope, Chicago today (May 9) celebrated news of Ferrero Group’s new Nutella flavor, Nutella Peanut, which apparently will be made in a suburban factory.

The first new flavor of the iconic hazelnut spread in its 60-year history is set to roll out next year in an attempt to gain more market share in the U.S. Developed over five years by Ferrero’s food scientists back in Europe, Nutella Peanut will be made exclusively in a Ferrero plant in west suburban Franklin Park, which also makes Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Ferrero will invest $75 million in the plant and create 65 jobs to make the new product, which will add peanut butter to the traditional Nutella formula of hazelnut and cocoa.

The Franklin Park, Ill., plant formerly belonged to Nestle, which sold its American candy business to Ferrero in 2018. The plant is being retooled to add the first Nutella production line in the U.S. by January, the Tribune reported. Nutella Peanut is expected to hit store shelves in April 2026.

Ferrero will unveil Nutella Peanut, along with Ferrero Rocher chocolate squares and other innovations, at next week’s Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis.

Ferrero has built a significant footprint in northern Illinois, having acquired Ferrara Pan Candy in 2017 and then the Fannie May chocolates and retail business. With the Nestle candy acquisition, Ferrara has more than 1,700 employees at manufacturing plants in Franklin Park, Forest Park, Itasca and Bloomington plus office and retail locations.

About the Author

Dave Fusaro | Editor in Chief

Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.