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Ferrara plans to close its 31st Street manufacturing plant in Chicago in April 2027, affecting an estimated 154 workers, according to an Illinois WARN notice. The company says the facility’s products will continue to be made at other plants and that it does not expect the closure to affect availability or customer service.
Ferrara plans to close its 31st Street manufacturing plant in Chicago in April 2027, a move expected to affect 154 workers, according to a notice filed under Illinois’ Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The company says production of the facility’s products will move to other sites, and that it does not expect the closure to affect product availability or service to customers.
The Chicago plant makes Funables Fruity Snacks and Stretch Island Fruit Strips, Ferrara said. The company said neither product line is being discontinued; production will be transferred to other facilities. The company also said affected employees can apply for open positions elsewhere within Ferrara.
The estimated number of affected workers comes from the Illinois WARN notice, which lists 154 employees. The closure is scheduled for April 2027, leaving several months between the November announcement and the expected shutdown. The notice and company statement establish the expected timing and workforce impact, but do not, in the supplied report, detail individual employees’ last working days or the terms of any separation assistance.
Ferrara cited market conditions and a review of its long-term innovation plans as reasons for the decision. The company described the closure as difficult, given its history in Chicago. Ferrara was founded in the city and has maintained a presence there for nearly 120 years, according to the report.
Jobs and Production Move From Chicago
The announcement puts 154 jobs at risk at one Chicago facility, while raising practical questions for workers about transfers, applications and the timing of the shutdown. Ferrara says employees may apply for vacancies across the company, but the report does not say how many positions are available or whether they are in the Chicago area.
For consumers and retailers, the company’s statement that production will move rather than end suggests the two named product lines are expected to remain on shelves. That is Ferrara’s stated plan; the report does not specify which plants will take over production, when the transfer will begin or whether distribution arrangements will change during the move.
The decision also reflects a broader strain on food manufacturers. Food Dive reported that companies facing slower shopper spending and shifting buying habits have been streamlining production footprints. Plant closures can lower or reorganize operating costs, but they also reshape local employment and manufacturing capacity.
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Ferrara’s Chicago Footprint and Expansion
Ferrara’s Chicago roots make the planned closure notable beyond the immediate job count. The company still has a presence in the city and maintains its global headquarters there, according to its statement to Food Dive. It also operates a Forest Park facility that produces candies including Lemonheads.
The 31st Street closure follows Ferrara’s 2024 closure of a Jelly Belly plant in Chicago, the report said. The company had acquired the Stretch Island brand in 2019 and moved its production from Georgia to the Chicago plant in 2020. The planned shutdown will therefore mean another production relocation for that brand, though Ferrara has not identified the receiving facility in the supplied report.
Ferrara is also investing in manufacturing elsewhere. In April 2026, it announced plans to spend $675 million on a new South Carolina manufacturing site, citing strong consumer demand for candies including Nerds Gummy Clusters. The South Carolina project and Chicago closure are separate developments; the report does not say the new site will replace the Chicago plant or take over its products.
“We remain committed to Chicago, home to our global headquarters. This closure is not expected to impact Ferrara brands, product availability, or service to our customers.”
— Ferrara, in an email to Food Dive
Details Workers Still Need
The exact employee transition arrangements remain unclear. Ferrara said workers can apply for open roles across the company, but the source material does not give the number, locations or qualifications for those jobs. It also does not provide details on severance, relocation support, benefits or the timing of individual job losses.
Ferrara has not named the facilities that will take over production of Funables Fruity Snacks and Stretch Island Fruit Strips. The company says the products will continue, but the supplied report does not describe the transfer schedule, projected capacity or any short-term effects on supply. The April 2027 date is the expected closure timing, rather than confirmation that all operations will end on a specified day.
April 2027 Closure Plans
The next stated milestone is the plant’s planned closure in April 2027. Before then, Ferrara is expected to manage the production transfer and provide affected workers with information about internal openings. The source material does not identify further dates for those steps.
Workers, local officials and customers will be looking for more detail on the shutdown schedule, available jobs and which facilities will receive production. Ferrara has said the move will not affect product availability or service, but the company has not yet provided the operational details needed to assess how the transition will proceed.
Key Questions
When does Ferrara plan to close the Chicago plant?
The 31st Street plant is expected to close in April 2027, according to the report published Nov. 10, 2026. The supplied information does not give a specific final operating day.
How many workers are expected to be affected?
An Illinois WARN notice estimates 154 workers will be affected. Ferrara said employees can apply for open positions elsewhere in the company, but the number and locations of available jobs were not reported.
Will Funables Fruity Snacks or Stretch Island Fruit Strips be discontinued?
No. Ferrara said neither product is being discontinued and that production will move to other facilities. The company has not named those facilities in the supplied report.
Why is Ferrara closing the plant?
Ferrara cited market conditions and a reassessment of its long-term innovation plans. The company has not provided a more detailed explanation of how those factors informed the decision.
Source: fooddive.com
