Local workers won’t feel the impact of Ferrara Candy Company moving its headquarters, a company spokeswoman promised.
The more than 100-year-old candy company announced on Dec. 13 plans to move its headquarters to the Old Post Office in Chicago, 433 W. Van Buren St., from Oakbrook Terrace.
“As we planned our move downtown, we sought a workspace that could accommodate our continued growth and help us build a highly differentiated and meaningful employee experience that allows us to continue to attract, retain and inspire best-in-class talent,” Todd Siwak, CEO of Ferrara, said in a statement.
Ferrara, owned by Italian confections giant Ferrero Group, employs nearly 300 people at its factory in Forest Park, 7301 Harrison St., and 350 people at its research-and-development facility in nearby Maywood and its distribution center in Bellwood, a spokeswoman said, adding that local operations will remain unchanged. Ferrero acquired the similarly-named company last year, and continues to operate Ferrara as a separate business unit.
The company expects to complete the move by late summer. Approximately 400 employees will move from Oakbrook Terrace to the refurbished 77,000-square-foot building in downtown Chicago.
“The Old Post Office will be more than just a workspace — it will be a destination, and one that is consistent with the brand, culture and community we are building at Ferrara,” Siwak said in the statement.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel highlighted Ferrara’s roots in the city — the company was founded 108 years ago in the west Little Italy neighborhood and later moved to Forest Park.
“Ferrara was a homegrown Chicago business. Today we are not just welcoming nearly 400 new jobs to Chicago, we are welcoming a great company with deep roots in Chicago back home,” Emanuel said in a statement.
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