Ferrero has announced a new investment of $94 million (over €80.2 million) for the construction of a new plant in Chile. The new facility will be located in Cunco, in the Araucanía region, an area considered strategic for the cultivation of European hazelnuts. The project will be developed through its subsidiary AgriChile and represents the group's third major plant in the South American country. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

According to the Alba-based company, approximately half of the investment will be allocated to the construction of the new hazelnut shelling plant, while the remainder will be used to expand existing infrastructure in the Maule and Ñuble regions. The cleaning and drying plant in the central-southern Maule region has been operational for 11 years, while the Ñuble processing plant, announced for construction in 2012 (see EFA News ), has been operational for two years.

The investment announcement was made to the newspaper Diario Financiero by Ferrero Hazelnut CEO Marco Botta , during his sixth visit to Chile in the last four years. Botta confirmed that Chile represents a key market for the confectionery company.

In recent years, Chile has become one of the world's leading hazelnut producers, becoming a strategic hub for Ferrero, which annually exports products to the global supply chain of its premium brands. With the boost provided by the Alba-based company, Chile has become the world's second-largest hazelnut producer and exporter, with over 50,000 hectares of cultivated land.

On the other hand, Ferrero has been present on the Chilean market for 35 years: Chile is one of the four countries that supplies hazelnuts for products such as Nutella and Rocher chocolates.

The Alba-based multinational has invested $330 million (over €281 million) in developing the local sector and owns 5,000 hectares of hazelnut groves. It exports hazelnuts worth $600 million annually.