Ferrero wants to reopen Belgian factory in June

Ferrero wants to reopen its Belgian chocolate factory, which was hit by a salmonella contamination, on 13 June. Production lines and piping will be thoroughly cleaned and replaced where necessary.

500.000 euros

The Ferrero factory in Arlon has been closed since 8 April by order of the Belgian federal food agency. After a series of salmonella contamination incidents in different European countries, linked to products of Kinder Surprise, Kinder Mini Eggs and Schoko-bons, the manufacturer could not offer sufficient guarantees for food safety. An investigation into the exact cause of the contamination is still ongoing.

In order to be able to resume production, Ferrero leaves nothing to chance: about a thousand employees work seven days a week to thoroughly clean the entire production unit. All production lines are dismantled, cleaned and put back together again. In total, up to 10,000 parts are involved, the company told the newspaper Le Soir. In addition, raw material tanks and up to 300 metres of piping will be replaced. These replacement works will cost Ferrero 500,000 euros.

Last week the chocolate manufacturer applied for permission to restart production. The company is aiming for 13 June. The food safety agency will send experts on site and has 30 days to make a decision.