Ferrara Candy Company

Ferrara Candy Company

Company type	Division
Industry	Confectionery
Predecessor	Ferrara Pan Candy Company, Farley's & Sathers Candy Company
Founded	2012
Founder	Salvatore Ferrara II (CEO at merger)
Headquarters	Chicago , United States
Area served	United States, Mexico
Key people	Salvatore Ferrara II (CEO)
Products	Lemonheads, Atomic Fireball, Red Hots, Brach's, Chuckles, Jujyfruits, Now and Later, Butterfinger, Crunch, Baby Ruth, Raisinets, Nips, Laffy Taffy
Number of employees	6000
Parent	Ferrero Group

The Ferrara Candy Company is a U.S.-based confectionery manufacturer located in Chicago, Illinois, operating as a division of the Ferrero Group.

Established in 2012 through the combination of Illinois-originated Ferrara Pan Candy Company and Minnesota's Farley's & Sathers Candy Company, Ferrara’s brand lineup features well-known names such as Lemonheads, Atomic Fireball, Red Hots, Brach's, Chuckles, Jujyfruits, and Now and Later. In late 2017, Ferrero declared its intention to acquire Ferrara, completing the transaction by December that year.

In 2018, Ferrero further broadened Ferrara’s presence by purchasing Nestlé’s U.S. candy portfolio for $2.8 billion, incorporating prominent brands including Butterfinger, Crunch, Baby Ruth, Raisinets, Nips, Laffy Taffy, along with hard candies previously marketed under Nestlé’s Willy Wonka label. It is important to note that Nestlé’s Kit Kat and Rolo brands continue to be licensed to the Hershey Company.

To support strategic expansion, Ferrara shifted its global corporate headquarters to Chicago in 2019, reinforcing its leadership role within the confectionery sector and enhancing its integration within Ferrero’s worldwide operations.

History

Salvatore Ferrara immigrated from Nola to New York in 1900. By 1908, he and his brother-in-law Salvatore "Sal" Lezza had launched a bakery at 772 W. Taylor Street in Chicago’s "Little Italy." Their specialty was candy-coated almonds called "confetti," a traditional Italian wedding confection. Eventually, the enterprise divided: Lezza managed the bakery segment while Ferrara concentrated on candy production.

Ferrara collaborated with his brothers-in-law Salvatore Buffardi and Anello Pagano to construct a two-story building at 2200 W. Taylor dedicated to manufacturing various panned candies. The upper floor housed rotating kettles driven by a large wheel mechanism that deposited finished candy into the shipping area below.

In 2012, private equity firm Catterton Partners, which owned Farley's & Sathers Candy Company, facilitated the merger of Farley's & Sathers with Ferrara Pan Candy Company. Although Ferrara Pan Candy was the smaller entity, the merged company adopted the name Ferrara Candy Company and appointed CEO Salvatore Ferrara II to lead.

Based in Chicago, Illinois, Ferrara operates seven production facilities across the United States and Mexico, alongside distribution centers nationwide. The company holds a commanding share of the market, producing 92% of all U.S. mellowcremes, leading volumes of candy canes and conversation hearts, as well as a large percentage of jelly beans consumed domestically. Utilizing 21 of the country’s 40 starch mogul machines and continuously running 700–800 pans, Ferrara manufactures roughly one million pounds of gummy candy weekly at four plants. Its workforce numbers around 6,000 employees.

Timeline

• 1860s: Henry Heide Candy Company commences operations
• 1890s: Farley Candy Company founded
• 1904: Brach's Candies begins manufacturing; Brock's Candy launches penny candies, peanut brittle, jelly candies
• 1908: Formation of Ferrara Pan Candy
• 1919: Establishment of Bobs Candies
• 1921: Introduction of Baby Ruth
• 1930s: Start of Sathers Candy Company
• 1962: Launch of Lemonheads
• 1980s: Trolli Gummis initiates production in the U.S.
• 1994: Brach's gains controlling interest in Brock's Candy
• 1995: Favorite Brands International created by acquiring Kraft’s caramel, marshmallow, mints, peanut brittle businesses; Henry Heide sold to Hershey
• 1996: Favorite Brands acquires Farley Foods, Sathers Candy, Kidd Marshmallow
• 1997: Favorite Brands purchases Dae Julie and Trolli Gummi operations
• 2002: Catterton Partners forms Farleys & Sathers Candy Company from former Farley Foods, Sathers, Kraft Taffy assets; acquires Chuckles and Henry Heide brands from Hershey
• 2005: Farley & Sathers acquires Trolli Gummi from Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company; also adds Bob's Candies to portfolio
• 2007: Acquisition of Brach's Candy by Farley & Sathers
• 2012: Catterton Partners acquires Ferrara Pan Candy Company and rebrands it as Ferrara Candy for enhanced brand identity
• 2017: Purchase of Ferrara Candy Company by Ferrero Group
• 2018: Acquisition of Nestlé's U.S. candy division by Ferrero; transfer of Nestlé’s U.S. candy brands to Ferrara
• 2023: Ferrara acquires Dori Alimentos and Jelly Belly Candy Company
• 2024: Discontinuation of Fruit Stripe gum by Ferrara

Products

• Atomic Fireball: A cinnamon-flavored hard candy created by founder Nello Ferrara in 1954; famously recognized as the preferred treat at NASA Mission Control.
• Black Forest: A line of fruit juice-based snacks that includes Gummy Bears and Worms.
• Bobs Candies: Known for soft mints, candy canes, and mint "lumps."
• Boston Baked Beans: Peanuts coated with a sweet sugar shell.
• Brach's: A well-known brand offering candy corn, Conversation Hearts, malted milk balls, Bridge Mix, among other confections.
• Chuckles: Soft jelly candies available in various flavors and seasonal selections.
• Fruit Stripe: Fruit-flavored chewing gum, also featuring bubble gum options.
• Jaw Busters: Classic jawbreakers featuring multiple layers of colors and flavors since their introduction in 1919.
• Jelly Belly: Premium jelly beans incorporated into the portfolio in 2023.
• Jujyfruits: Chewy fruit-shaped candies; the firmer-textured Jujubes have been produced since 1920.
• Laffy Taffy: Taffy candies that include jokes on their wrappers; available in flavors like banana, strawberry, and sour apple.
• Lemonhead: Lemon-flavored confection with layered textures; varieties include Appleheads and Grapeheads.
• Nerds: Small, crunchy candies resembling pebbles offered in two complementary flavors; expanded with Nerds Gummy Clusters, which surpassed $500 million in sales by October 2024.
• Now and Later: Bite-sized taffy squares available in a range of fruit flavors and variations.
• Rain-Blo: Bubble gumballs featuring an outer color that corresponds to the flavor inside.
• Red Hots: Cinnamon-flavored spicy candy trademarked since the 1930s.
• Super Bubble: Individually wrapped bubble gum introduced in 1946.
• Trolli (U.S.): Sour and sweet gummy candies crafted in distinctive shapes.