FILE: A worker empties out jelly beans for packaging at the Jelly Belly Factory on April 2, 2007, in Fairfield, Calif.
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Bay Area candy giant Jelly Belly has been acquired by Ferrara Candy Company, a Chicago confectionery, in a move aimed at optimizing growth opportunities and expanding market reach.
Jelly Belly, headquartered in Fairfield, made the acquisition announcement on Wednesday. This transition will result in nearly 800 Jelly Belly employees becoming part of the Ferrara team. Ferrara Candy Company is known for its ownership of popular candy brands such as Nerds, Laffy Taffy, SweeTarts, and Trolli gummies. The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed by Ferrara, a private company.
“As we looked to the future of Jelly Belly Candy Company, our priority was to ensure a mutually beneficial outcome for our employees, customers, and products,” said Herman Rowland Sr., chairman of Jelly Belly’s board. “Upon meeting the Ferrara team, we discovered a shared passion and expertise for the candy industry.”
Jelly Belly, a family-owned business for six generations, has a rich history dating back to 1869 when Gustav Goelitz opened his first candy shop in Belleville, Illinois. The company later moved to Oakland and became an integral part of the California candy industry with the endorsement of actor and politician Ronald Reagan.
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FILE: A family walks past the visitor center at 1 Jelly Belly Lane, at the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, Calif., June 7, 2017.
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According to the Sacramento Bee, Ronald Reagan was a devoted Jelly Belly enthusiast. During his presidency, Reagan replaced his smoking habit with a love for Jelly Belly jelly beans. He would annually purchase 200 pounds of mini jelly beans for himself, his staff, and guests. The Oval Office was famously stocked with these beans, with Reagan favoring the licorice flavor.
In 1985, Jelly Belly relocated from Oakland to Fairfield, where it established its factory and headquarters. The company’s factory tour, offering free samples and featuring a large portrait of Ronald Reagan made entirely of jelly beans, has become a popular attraction for Solano County residents over the years. The future involvement of the Rowland family in the business remains uncertain in light of this acquisition.
FILE: A tourist takes a photo of portraits that were made out of jelly beans of President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan at the Jelly Belly factory on June 10, 2004, in Fairfield, Calif.
David Paul Morris/Getty Images
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