Iconic candymaker to lay off hundreds, move US headquarters out of New Jersey
Mars Wrigley's layoffs will impact its Newark headquarters as it relocates corporate operations to Chicago. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Mars Wrigley signaled it will lay off hundreds of workers as it relocates its headquarters from Newark, New Jersey, to an expanded facility in Chicago.
The company on Friday submitted a WARN filing with the state of New Jersey that indicated it will eliminate 307 jobs at its Newark headquarters by mid-October, which will end the company's presence in the city.
The candymaker, which is a division of Mars Incorporated, has a brand portfolio including M&M's, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix and Skittles.
The move comes after the company spent $100 million to expand its footprint in Chicago, where its global headquarters is now located.
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The New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) said the news of another departure of a high-profile company comes as another warning sign that the state needs to improve its business climate.
"On a summer Friday when people should be getting excited about the weekend ahead, we are instead hit with the news of another unfortunate exodus of a job creator in New Jersey," said NJBIA CEO Michele Siekerka.
"We need to wrap our arms around this and do something now that sends a message to our largest employers that things are going to change so we can stop this disturbing 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)
Hackettstown, New Jersey, despite shifting corporate operations to Chicago.
"Following a comprehensive review of our Mars Snacking North American office footprint, we will be sunsetting the Newark Market Hub for Mars Snacking Associates by December 2027, consistent with our previously communicated move to Chicago," Mars said in a statement. "This decision 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 gum-maker Wrigley in 2008 and has grown its presence in the area recently following the acquisition last year of Kellanova, a Chicago-headquartered maker of snack foods like Pringles and Cheez-It that was spun off from Kellogg.
NJBIA noted that New Jersey has lost over 9,700 jobs disclosed through WARN notices this year alone, and it comes against the backdrop of other high-profile corporate departures.
Skittles is one of Mars Wrigley's candy brands. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
In June, Samsung announced it would relocate its corporate headquarters from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to Texas this year.
Additionally, ExxonMobil shareholders voted to switch the energy giant's state of incorporation from the Garden State, where it has been domiciled for 144 years when it began as Standard Oil of New Jersey, to Texas.