March Wrigley announced it would lay off hundreds of workers as it moved its headquarters from Newark, New Jersey, to an expanded facility in Chicago.
The company submitted a WARN filing to the state of New Jersey which said it would cut 307 jobs at its Newark headquarters by mid-October, ending the company’s presence in the city.
The candy maker, which is a division of Mars Incorporated, has a portfolio of brands including M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix and Skittles.
The move comes after the company spent $100 million to expand its presence in Chicago, where its global headquarters is now located.
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Mars Wrigley’s layoffs will impact its Newark headquarters as the company relocates operations to Chicago. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) said news of a major company’s new start is another warning sign that the state needs to improve its business climate.
“On a summer Friday, when people should be excited about the weekend ahead, we are instead hit with news of yet another unfortunate exodus of a job creator from New Jersey,” said NJBIA CEO Michele Siekerka.
“We need to take matters into our own hands and do something now that sends the message to our largest employers that things are going to change so we can stop this worrying trend,” Siekerka added.
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Mars Wrigley is the company that created M&M’s. (Jeff Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Mars Wrigley said it will continue to operate its manufacturing facility in Hackettstown, New Jersey, despite moving the company’s operations to Chicago.
“After a comprehensive review of our Mars Snacking North American office footprint, we will eliminate the Newark Market Hub for Mars Snacking Associates by December 2027, consistent with our previously announced move to Chicago,” Mars said in a statement. “This move is part of our broader strategy to position Mars Snacking for long-term growth and strengthen our operations in key locations across North America. »
Mars said it would provide relocation opportunities and support to affected employees.
Mars Inc. acquired Chicago-based chewing gum maker Wrigley in 2008 and recently increased its presence in the region following last year’s acquisition of Kellanova, a Chicago-based maker of snacks like Pringles and Cheez-It that was spun off from Kellogg.
NJBIA noted that New Jersey has lost more than 9,700 jobs disclosed through WARN Notices this year alone, and it comes against the backdrop of other high-profile company departures.
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Skittles is one of Mars Wrigley’s candy brands. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
In June, Samsung announced that it would move its headquarters from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey to Texas This year.
Additionally, ExxonMobil shareholders voted to move the energy giant’s state of incorporation from the Garden State, where it has been domiciled for 144 years when it started as Standard Oil of New Jersey, to Texas.
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