The Jelly Belly was first created in 1976 and made here in 1978. The company changed its name to reflect the booming brand in 2001. The brand became wildly popular in part because former President Ronald Reagan was a big fan of the colorful beans, which were shipped directly to him from the Goelitz family for eight years of his presidency.



"Eliminating positions is a difficult decision to make," Jelly Belly President Bob Simpson said in a statement. "This move to private label manufacturing is a forward thinking step for the best deployment of the Illinois facility and the company overall."



The company said Monday that workers will receive outplacement services and will have the opportunity to transfer to other locations within the company.