HARIBO hopes to begin construction on 1st North American plant in Pleasant Prairie in 2019

PLEASANT PRAIRIE -- The Pleasant Prairie Plan Commission on Tuesday considered sending a recommendation to the full Pleasant Prairie Village Board to approve a plan for the new HARIBO plant, which will be located at the southwest corner of 120th Ave. and County Highway C. It'll be HARIBO's first North American plant.

The company has proposed developing 136.8 acres of property for their plant, where they'll produce Gummy Bears and other HARIBO products. According to a news release, the plant will be in operation 24 hours per day, and up to 450 employees will work their during three shifts upon completion of "Phase 1." Once the plant is fully completed, there will be 1,450 employees there.

The news release indicates the plant will include research and development as well as central administrative offices, warehouse and distribution buildings -- including a high bay warehouse to house products awaiting shipment to other distribution facilities, a multi-story parking structure and gatehouses. A retail store to promote HARIBO products and other related ancillary uses such as a day care and fitness center will be built. The developer is also proposing to have a museum and a heliport on the site.

Areas open to the public are anticipated to be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Site work is anticipated to begin in 2018 with the start of construction in 2019.

According to the news release, this issue was table-ed, and will be brought up again at the Plan Commission meeting on May 14.

HARIBO is a third-generation family business that originated in Germany. HARIBO has 16 manufacturing locations throughout 10 countries and employs 7,000 people as a whole.