The Ferrero Group has initiated a strategic €60 million expansion program in France aimed at enhancing its processing efficiencies, automated packaging capabilities, and capacity for brand innovation significantly.
This initiative was announced during the French government’s “Choose France” summit, with funding allocated to both Ferrero’s key facility in Normandy and an affiliate-operated site in the Hauts-de-France region. This latest investment boosts Ferrero’s total infrastructure spending in France to an approximate €210 million over the previous five years. It underscores the trend in the food and beverage engineering sector, where established high-volume plants are being re-engineered for improved format flexibility, enhanced raw material efficiency, and specialized packaging options all on the same production line.
Environmental performance and foodservice formats are also key areas of focus. A significant portion, €30 million, is designated for the Villers-Écalles plant in Normandy. As the largest Nutella production site globally, accounting for about 26% of the world’s cocoa-hazelnut spread supply, this facility plays an essential role in European grocery distribution networks.
The investment at Villers-Écalles is divided equally between two main processing and packaging objectives.
The first allocation of €15 million is aimed at industrial and environmental improvements, focusing on incremental engineering enhancements within the primary processing area. This funding will facilitate the modernization of cleaning-in-place (CIP) processes, improve filling accuracy to reduce product wastage, and enhance overall line reliability to minimize micro-stoppages. Additionally, efforts will be made to optimize energy and water consumption throughout processing shifts.
The second allocation of €15 million will establish a new high-speed packaging line dedicated to a 3kg Nutella container. This investment responds to the rising demand from B2B and foodservice sectors, enabling Ferrero to diversify package offerings. It will create a swift, professional distribution pathway that avoids the constraints of production lines exclusively designed for retail-sized jars.
For the remaining €30 million, the Nieppe facility in Hauts-de-France, owned by Ferrero affiliate Biscuits Delacre, is set for transformation into a specialized, unique production hub in Europe for Nutella Cookies.
From a production standpoint, integrating bakery and confectionery processes presents unique mechanical challenges. The new production line will need to efficiently merge high-speed biscuit baking with precise temperature-controlled chocolate filling. Maintaining consistent product quality, rigorous structural moisture barriers, and executing high-speed primary packaging handling are essential components of this technological advancement. By capitalizing on Delacre’s expertise in biscuit production, Ferrero aims to enhance this rapidly growing product line while reducing the risk associated with single-site production bottlenecks.
This investment aligns with the current challenges faced by global confectionery and bakery manufacturers, including unstable ingredient markets, rising energy prices, and labor concerns. By optimizing their plant capabilities, large-scale brands can respond swiftly to consumer demand and secure margins. Ferrero’s modernization of its logistics network—evidenced by the recent completion of warehouses in Cléon and Barentin—along with advancements in factory automation, positions the company to safeguard its production capacity against economic fluctuations.
Mauro De Felip, general manager of Ferrero France, highlighted the project’s long-term regional and operational vision: “France has held a central place in Ferrero’s industrial and logistics strategy in Europe for many years. The investments announced today reflect our commitment to pursuing sustainable and tangible development in the country, by strengthening our industrial capacities, supporting the innovation of our brands – such as the launch of Nutella Cookies on the French market – and making a lasting contribution to the economic growth of the regions where we operate.”
