IndustrialSage Headlines | Episode 23
Key Takeaways
- Ferrara Candy is investing $675 million in a 750,000-square-foot facility in Orangeburg County, South Carolina
- The plant will create 1,000 manufacturing and corporate jobs over the next decade
- Production lines start in Q1 2029, manufacturing NERDS, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy, Jelly Belly, and 40+ other brands
- Ferrara’s products reach 91 million U.S. households annually; the company operates 30+ facilities in 60+ countries
- Orangeburg County’s workforce pipeline, with two universities and a technical college, was a deciding factor in the site selection
- South Carolina authorized $85 million in state economic development bonds to support the investment
Ferrara Candy South Carolina manufacturing represents the company’s largest single facility investment and its first operation in the state. The $675 million facility in Orangeburg County will produce some of the most recognized confectionery brands in the United States, serving the 91 million American households that consume Ferrara products annually.
The announcement, confirmed in April 2026, positions Orangeburg County as a significant food manufacturing hub for the Southeast. For industrial operators and economic development professionals, the site selection process and the infrastructure investments that preceded it offer a detailed look at how large-scale food manufacturing decisions get made.
Ferrara Candy South Carolina: Investment and Facility Details
The facility will be located at Highway 21 and Rowesville Road in Orangeburg County, covering 750,000 square feet across manufacturing, processing, packaging, raw materials warehousing, and administrative office space. At that scale, the plant ranks among the largest food manufacturing facilities announced in the Southeast in recent years.
Production lines are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2029, creating 1,000 manufacturing and corporate positions over the following decade. The jobs will span the full operational scope of a modern food manufacturing facility, from production floor operations and quality control to logistics, management, and corporate support functions.
“This facility represents a major step forward in transforming Ferrara’s manufacturing scale and capability, positioning the company for global leadership.”
Marco Capurso, CEO, Ferrara Candy Company
South Carolina supported the investment with $85 million in state economic development bonds authorized through the Coordinating Council for Economic Development, plus job development credits. The state-level commitment reflects the scale of the economic impact a 1,000-job manufacturing facility generates across the county and region.
What Gets Made Here: Brands and Production Scale
Ferrara is a larger operation than many people realize. Headquartered in Chicago for 118 years, the company produces more than 800 million pounds of candy annually across 30+ facilities in 60+ countries. Its brand portfolio of 40+ products includes some of the most purchased candy brands in the U.S.: NERDS, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy, Jelly Belly, Trolli, Brach’s, Carambar, and others.
That reach, 91 million U.S. households annually, means Ferrara is producing at a scale where capacity constraints have real revenue consequences. The Orangeburg facility is specifically designed to address what the company describes as “high levels of consumer demand,” adding production lines that don’t currently exist within the domestic portfolio.
Why Orangeburg County: Workforce, Infrastructure, and Access
Site selection for a 750,000-square-foot food manufacturing facility requires more than available land. Ferrara’s decision centered on three factors that Orangeburg County had spent years developing:
Workforce pipeline: Orangeburg County is home to two universities and a technical college. Ferrara’s leadership cited the proximity to technical training programs as a deciding factor, noting that the factory will need employees across a wide range of functions including manufacturing operations, quality control, engineering, and management roles.
Infrastructure: County officials had invested years in developing water, sewer, broadband, and utility infrastructure specifically to attract large-scale industrial investment. That pre-built capacity allowed Ferrara to move from announcement to construction without waiting for utility buildout.
Regional distribution: The Orangeburg location provides access to Southeast distribution networks, optimizing the supply chain for a brand portfolio sold nationally and internationally.
Ferrara Candy South Carolina: Key Project Metrics
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total investment | $675 million |
| Facility size | 750,000 square feet |
| Location | Orangeburg County, South Carolina |
| Jobs created | 1,000 manufacturing + corporate over 10 years |
| Production start | Q1 2029 |
| State support | $85 million in economic development bonds |
| Ferrara global reach | 30+ facilities, 60+ countries, 9,400+ employees |
| Annual production | 800 million pounds of candy globally |
What This Signals for Southeast Food Manufacturing
The Ferrara investment is part of a broader pattern: food and consumer goods manufacturers are actively expanding domestic production capacity, particularly in the Southeast, to optimize distribution networks and reduce supply chain exposure. The region offers a combination of lower land costs, strong utility infrastructure, accessible ports, and a growing skilled workforce pipeline through community and technical colleges.
For economic development professionals, the Orangeburg story illustrates how sustained infrastructure investment over multiple years can position a county to land transformative investments when companies reach expansion decisions. The water, sewer, broadband, and utility work done before Ferrara announced is what made the announcement possible.
IndustrialSage tracks major U.S. manufacturing investments through the US Manufacturing Investment Tracker. For more coverage of domestic food and consumer goods manufacturing, visit the IndustrialSage news section. This story was featured on IndustrialSage Headlines Episode 23.
Frequently Asked Questions: Ferrara Candy South Carolina
How much is Ferrara Candy investing in South Carolina?
Ferrara Candy is investing $675 million in a 750,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. The state authorized an additional $85 million in economic development bonds to support the project. This is Ferrara’s first South Carolina operation and one of its largest single facility investments globally.
When will the Ferrara Candy South Carolina facility open?
Production lines are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2029. The facility will produce NERDS, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy, Jelly Belly, Trolli, Brach’s, and other brands from Ferrara’s 40+ product portfolio.
How many jobs will the Ferrara plant create in Orangeburg County?
The facility will create 1,000 manufacturing and corporate jobs over the next decade. Positions will span production floor operations, quality control, logistics, engineering, and management roles. Ferrara cited Orangeburg’s two universities and technical college as key resources for filling this range of positions.
Why did Ferrara Candy choose Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
Three factors drove the selection: Orangeburg’s workforce pipeline through two universities and a technical college, pre-built water, sewer, broadband, and utility infrastructure that county officials developed over years specifically to attract large industry, and the region’s access to Southeast distribution networks.
What brands does Ferrara Candy produce?
Ferrara produces 40+ brands including NERDS, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy, Jelly Belly, Trolli, Brach’s, Carambar, Terry’s, and Dori. The company reaches 91 million U.S. households annually and produces more than 800 million pounds of candy per year across 30+ facilities in 60+ countries.
What does the Ferrara investment mean for South Carolina manufacturing?
The $675 million investment positions Orangeburg County as a significant food manufacturing hub for the Southeast. It reflects a broader trend of consumer goods manufacturers expanding domestic production capacity in the region, driven by distribution optimization, workforce availability, and state-level infrastructure investment. South Carolina’s $85 million in economic development bonds signals the state’s commitment to competing for large-scale manufacturing decisions.
Author: Wes Garrett
Content and Growth Marketing Producer | From Strategy to Execution, Delivering Impactful Media Solutions and Client Success
