Jelly Belly, the jelly bean brand that got a sugar jolt of popularity in the 1980s when former President Ronald Reagan declared it a favorite treat, is getting a new fan in Chicago-based Ferrara Candy.
Ferrara — with products that include Sweet Tarts, Brach’s and Chuckles — is acquiring family-owned Jelly Belly in a deal announced last week and expected to close by year-end.
The sale unites companies that have histories in the Chicago area. Ferrara dates its operations from a bakery in Chicago’s Little Italy in 1908, and Jelly Belly has a plant in North Chicago, where it formerly manufactured its signature product.
In 2014, Jelly Belly moved that production to Fairfield, California, where the company is based. It kept the North Chicago facility for private-label and contract candy production.
Once the deal closes, Ferrara will take over Jelly Belly facilities, including property in Thailand, that together have about 800 employees, the companies said. Terms were not disclosed.
“We are excited to bring Jelly Belly’s imaginative products and talented team into the Ferrara community,” said Marco Capurso, CEO of Ferrara, in a news release. “Our dedication to creating high-quality, innovative sugar confections for the world and our deep relationships with retailers aligns perfectly with the Jelly Belly track record and passion for quality, reliability and customer service.”
Jelly Belly dates its operations from 1869, when Gustav Goelitz started a candy business in Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis. It introduced its signature jelly beans in 1976, renaming the company after the product in 2001.
The company said there are now more than 100 Jelly Belly flavors, and distribution covers 60 countries. It also produces chocolates and other candy varieties.
Ferrara is part of the similarly named Ferrero Group sweets manufacturer based in Italy. Ferrero has opened a research center at 24 E. Washington St., above the Macy’s, and produces Butterfingers and Baby Ruths in Franklin Park.
Ferrara has a corporate office in the Old Post Office. In 2021, it opened a distribution center with 500 workers in DeKalb.
Herman Rowland, chairman of Jelly Belly, said the sale will unite companies that are committed to their products and employees.
“When I met with the Ferrara team, I recognized a like-minded group that shares our knowledge and passion for the candy business and has the talent and resources to grow our products and the careers of our people around the world. I am confident of the continued success of Jelly Belly as part of the Ferrara portfolio,” Rowland said in the news release.
