Mars Wrigley has announced it will be laying off hundreds of employees as it shifts its headquarters from Newark, New Jersey, to a larger facility in Chicago.
A notice was filed on Friday in New Jersey, revealing that 307 positions will be eliminated at the Newark office, with the company planning to wrap up its operations in the city by mid-October.
This candy manufacturer, a part of Mars Incorporated, boasts a lineup of popular brands, including M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, and Skittles.
The decision follows a $100 million investment aimed at expanding operations in Chicago, where the global headquarters already exist.
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NJBIA) expressed concern, suggesting that the exit of well-known companies serves as a troubling indicator of the state’s business climate needing improvement.
“On a Friday in summer, when everyone should be looking forward to the weekend, we received disappointing news about more companies leaving New Jersey,” said NJBIA CEO Michele Siekerka.
“We need to act decisively on this issue and send a clear message to our largest employers that changes are coming to halt this unsettling trend,” Siekerka added.
Mars Wrigley has stated that it will maintain a manufacturing operation in Hackettstown, New Jersey, even as corporate functions move to Chicago.
So far this year, New Jersey has reportedly seen more than 9,700 job losses due to WARN notices sent by various businesses.
Reflecting on recent corporate movements, Samsung revealed plans in June to relocate its headquarters from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to Texas. Additionally, ExxonMobil shareholders voted to move the company’s state of incorporation from New Jersey, where it was established as Standard Oil, to Texas.
