Blommer Chocolate announces closure of Chicago factory after 85 years

Blommer Chocolate Company announced the closure of its Chicago factory on Friday, marking an end to the company’s 80-year presence in River West.

Opened in 1939, Blommer’s Chicago manufacturing plant was the company’s first processing facility. The plant has been a beloved fixture of the downtown Chicago landscape for decades, known for blanketing the surrounding River West and River North neighborhoods with the delectable scent of roasting cocoa.

In a statement, the company expressed sadness over the closure but stated the decision was imperative to support its continued growth. Blommer attributed the closure to rising maintenance and operating costs and decreased production reliability.

According to a statement from the company, Blommer plans to redirect its efforts to focus on its remaining manufacturing plants in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Canada. Blommer is the largest cocoa processor and manufacturer in North America, producing chocolate products for several well-known brands.

“It was an incredibly challenging yet inevitable decision to close the Chicago plant. However, to propel Blommer to the next level, we must embrace progress, transformation, and elevation,” said Mark Okita, Chief Operating Officer of Blommer.

“Our planned expansion to the Campbellford Canada operation is the next step toward our transformation. This marks a new chapter for us as Blommer, as well as our customers. We must challenge ourselves aggressively to ensure that this becomes the best chapter yet.”

For Chicago residents, Blommer’s factory will be sorely missed. The closure of the plant marks the end of an era, and a farewell to the familiar aroma of chocolate wafting through downtown.

Blommer’s Chicago manufacturing plant will officially close in May, but the company will still maintain a footprint in Chicago, its headquarters located in the Merchandise Mart. The company also plans to open a new research lab at its Merchandise Mart offices this fall.