The sweet life is about to turn sour for dozens of Jelly Belly employees in Fairfield, as Ferrara Candy Company plans to cut 69 corporate and commercial positions at the iconic One Jelly Belly Lane campus. The move hits office and administrative staff but leaves the factory floor, warehouse crews and visitor center workers in place. Company officials told the city the reductions will roll out in stages, beginning in the first two weeks of June and then repeating in the first half of each month through January 14, 2027. According to city leaders, Fairfield will work with regional agencies to help laid-off staff find benefits, retraining and new jobs. Ferrara says roughly 374 people work at the Fairfield site overall.
Per The Mercury News, Ferrara outlined the cuts in a state WARN notice and letter to Fairfield officials, stating it will wind down certain corporate and commercial operations at One Jelly Belly Lane and nearby Watney Way offices. The notice, signed by Sukrat Barber, describes the reductions as permanent. The company also steered affected workers toward support programs, including the Solano County Workforce Development Board, CalFresh and other public assistance resources.
Company context
Ferrara acquired Jelly Belly in October 2023 as part of a broader expansion that folded the Fairfield-based brand into a larger national candy portfolio. That deal has already reshaped how Jelly Belly does business, including earlier changes at its North Chicago footprint while Ferrara reorganized production and back-office functions. The purchase brought Jelly Belly under Ferrara's corporate umbrella, a shift covered locally by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Timeline and worker support
The WARN filing spells out a long off-ramp rather than a single shock. Layoffs are set to begin in the first two weeks of June, then continue in the first two weeks of each month, wrapping up by January 14, 2027. The notice states that the cuts are expected to be permanent. Ferrara told officials the reductions will not touch manufacturing, warehouse or visitor-center roles at the Fairfield campus, and that total headcount at the site stands at about 374 employees. The Mercury News reviewed the WARN documents and company correspondence that lay out the schedule.
Local reaction and what to watch
Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy said city staff will coordinate with the workforce development board to help affected Jelly Belly employees connect with training programs, unemployment benefits and new job leads. Officials also noted they are tracking potential redevelopment projects that could bring fresh employment to the area, including ongoing interest from companies eyeing the nearby Budweiser plant site. In the coming weeks, workers can expect HR briefings and outreach from county employment services as the phased layoff schedule gets closer, even as the factory and visitor center keep churning out candy and tours.
