Ferrero plans to open ‘innovation center’ in Marshall Field building

Global sweets company Ferrero Group plans to open an “innovation center” in the old Marshall Field and Co. building, the company announced Thursday.

Ferrero is set to occupy about 45,000 square feet on the building’s eighth and ninth floors, according to a news release.

The innovation center will house research and development labs that will develop new confectionery and packaged foods products for the company, as well as teams representing Fannie May, Keebler, Famous Amos and other brands in the Ferrero portfolio, the company said.

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“This new space will foster the collaboration, creativity and culture that Ferrero is known for around the world,” Todd Siwak, president and chief business officer of Ferrero North America, said in a statement. “I am proud of our growing footprint in Illinois and strongly believe that this innovation center will propel our teams forward to become leaders in the sweet packaged foods category.”

The new facility, 24 E. Washington St., is expected to employ about 170 people.

“We are thrilled to join Ferrero as it announces that Chicago will be home to the company’s first innovation center in the United States,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “Chicago is a global destination for innovation and Ferrero will be well-placed here, benefiting from the city’s connectivity to the world and its strong network of companies driven by tech and innovation. I congratulate Ferrero on this move and welcome them to Chicago as I look forward to more companies realizing Chicago’s incredible potential.”

The new facility is expected to be completed by spring 2023, the company said.

Ferrero’s products include Rocher, Nutella, Kinder and Fannie May chocolates. The company employees about 3,000 people across North America.