"It's more business for us:" Excitement in Pleasant Prairie as HARIBO is headed to town

PLEASANT PRAIRIE -- The German-based company HARIBO, famous for their popular gummy bear candy, announced it's building its first North American plant in Pleasant Prairie. The sweet news for Kenosha County is now the talk of the town.

It's business as usual at the BP gas station just off I-94, but with HARIBO coming to town, business is expecting to pick up.

HARIBO

"Very exciting. It's more business for us, good for the neighborhood, good for the business, good for the people who live here," said Syed Hussaien, BP customer service representative.

Syed Hussaien, works at the BP gas station roughly ten minutes away from where the new facility is going to be built. He says their location means they're hoping to be a lot busier once ground breaks.

Pleasant Prairie

"We are meeting basically on setting up the fundamentals of the Prairie Highlands Corporate Park where HARIBO will be locating. So it's really getting ready for the grading, the sewer, the water and the streets," said Pleasant Prairie Administrator, Michael Pollocoff.

Pleasant Prairie

HARIBO looks to employ roughly 400 people to operate the plant. They'll also be neighbors with Amazon, U-Line and Jelly Belly.

Pleasant Prairie

"In Pleasant Prairie, half of our tax base comes from manufacturing and commercial. The other half is residential. And in other places that's a 70 percent difference," said Pollocoff.

With the village expecting to make a lot of money once the facility gets settled in, for Hussaien back at the gas station he's looking forward to his new customers.

Syed Hussaien

"It's too early to say anything but it will definitely increase the sales -- definitely," said Hussaien.

Hussaien says currently his gas station doesn't sell HARIBO products -- his distributor controls that -- however, once the plant is in he hopes to speak with them about selling their candy.