Ferrara Candy Company to acquire Jelly Belly Candy Company

Ferrara Candy Company announced an agreement to acquire Jelly Belly Candy Company through CTH Invest, the lead holding company of Ferrara.

The proposed acquisition would combine Jelly Belly Candy Company’s more than 100 flavors of Jelly Belly jelly beans and gourmet specialty confections with Ferrara’s broad portfolio of sugar candies. Once the acquisition closes, nearly 800 global Jelly Belly employees and its facilities in California, Illinois, and Thailand will join the Ferrara organization. Ferrara manufactures such brands as Black Forest, Nerds, SweeTarts, and Trolli.

Jeff Brown, who is currently the executive vice-president of global operations and distribution of Jelly Belly, will become its chief executive officer.

“Since our inception almost a century and a half ago, Jelly Belly Candy Company has been focused on providing exciting new flavors and continuous innovation, and we are extremely proud of the deep affinity we’ve built with our fans around the world,” says Lisa Brasher, president and chief executive officer of Jelly Belly. “Ferrara’s interest reflects the substantial value of our storied brand, built on our team’s many successes, and the opportunity to drive continued growth. We look forward to being a part of this impressive company.”

“We are excited to bring Jelly Belly’s imaginative products and talented team into the Ferrara community,” said Marco Capurso, chief executive officer of Ferrara. “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. We look forward to working together to build on the success of all our brands.”

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2023 and is subject to certain closing conditions.