Mars Wrigley, the massive global snacking and confectionery division of Mars Incorporated, is leaving Newark.
In a WARN filing, first reported by NJBIZ on Friday, the company said it will eliminate
307 jobs in Newark by mid-October. The jobs will be moved to Chicago, where the
company is doing a $100 million expansion of its headquarters.
In a statement to NJBIZ, a spokesperson said, “Following a comprehensive review of
our Mars Snacking North American office footprint, we will be sun-setting the Newark
Market Hub for Mars Snacking Associates by December 2027, consistent with our
previously communicated move to Chicago. 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.”
The spokesperson said the company will work to assist associates in Newark –
including providing relocation services where needed.
But that doesn’t take away from the fact that more jobs are leaving. It comes on the
heels of an announcement in June that Samsung is leaving the state, eliminating
approximately 1,000 jobs.
And it follows a report from CNBC earlier this month in which New Jersey as a state
placed dead last — No. 50 — in its ranking of business friendliness. (New Jersey
finished No. 31 overall)
Michele Siekerka, the CEO of N.J. Business and Industry Association, said the state
needs to address the issue without directly placing blame.
“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,” Siekerka said.
“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.”
WARN notices this year alone account for nearly 10,000 job losses in the state.
Tom Bracken, the CEO of the N.J. State Chamber, said the state needs to respond with
a sense of urgency and aggressiveness.
“Enough is enough,” he said.
Mars Wrigley is not leaving the state completely. The company will continue to employ
approximately 1,000 in Hackettstown, where it moved (from Newark) in 1958.
The company heralded its return to Newark in 2020, saying the modern office space at
the beautifully redone Newark Ironside would help them attract a new generation of
employees and leaders.
That idea is now done.
