Ferrero has begun manufacturing its Nutella Peanut spread in the US, the first time one of its flagship spread products have been made in the country.

The Italian food giant is producing its Nutella Peanut spread at a site in Illinois.

Privately owned Ferrero said it had spent $75m on the project at its facility in Franklin Park, west of Chicago.

Ferrero already makes the Butterfinger and Baby Ruth brands at the Franklin Park plant, which it acquired in 2018 after buying Nestlé’s confectionery business in the US.

Chicago is also home to a Ferrero R&D site. The company has a manufacturing facility 130 miles further south in Bloomington, which it opened two years ago.

The Bloomington factory processes chocolate and manufactures products sold under the Crunch, 100 Grand, and Raisinets brands.

The Kinder Bueno brand owner also has facilities in the US states of Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Arizona, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Earlier this month, Ferrero confirmed it was the subject of anti-trust inspections by the European Commission.

In a brief statement, Luxembourg-headquartered Ferrero said: “Ferrero is aware that on-site inspections are currently taking place in its offices by European Commission officials. The company is fully cooperating and providing the information requested.”

The company, which generated a turnover of €19.3bn ($22.7bn) in the year to 31 August, declined to answer Just Food’s questions on the reasons for the inspections.

Cadbury and Milka owner Mondelez International was fined by the Commission in 2024 for breaching EU regulations for “hindering cross-border trade” in an investigation dating back to 2021.

At the time, Mondelez acknowledged it had reached a “settlement” with the European authorities.