Ferrara Candy Company to close its doors in December

Ferrara Candy Company announced it would be closing its doors in Creston in mid-December according to a statement from the company received by the Creston News Advertiser.

The German-based company opened for business in southwest Iowa nearly 30 years ago. The company’s headquarters are located in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

The decision affects 215 local employees at the Creston location.

The statement from the company is as follows:

“Over the past several years, Ferrara Candy has made significant investments in building a state-of-the-art manufacturing network to improve our production capabilities and to continue efficiently delivering our iconic, well-loved snacks and confections to consumers. In a dynamic industry that is constantly evolving, and as the company continues to grow and capture market share, it is critical that we leverage our most efficient assets and invest in those state-of-the-art facilities where we have a competitive advantage and scale. As part of these efforts, and following a comprehensive review of our manufacturing operations, Ferrara Candy has made the difficult decision to close its facility in Creston, Iowa. Creston operations will continue until mid-December, at which point it will cease manufacturing and begin the process of winding down. All ongoing items at Creston will be absorbed within Ferrara’s supply network.

“Decisions that affect people are never easy and this was not one that was taken lightly. Ferrara Candy has been a proud part of the Creston community for more than 30 years. We greatly value the dedication and hard work of all our employees and are dedicated to treating our team members with dignity and respect. We are committed to offering severance and transition assistance for our affected Creston employees and we will be meeting with all representatives involved in the process, including state agencies, to accomplish that goal.”

In an interview with WHO-TV in 2015, company officials at the Creston plant said they were struggling to find workers to employ at the Creston location due to the low unemployment in the area.

Ferrara Pan Candy Company and Farley’s and Sathers merged in 2012, to create the company that is in business today.

More information will be available in future editions of the News Advertiser.