Mars Is Leaving Newark After 86 Years, Moving Headquarters To Chicago

This one stings a little.

New Jersey has lost plenty of corporate headquarters over the years, but this one feels different. This isn’t just another company moving executives from one city to another. This is Mars, the candy giant behind M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Skittles and a bunch of other reasons our dentists stay in business.

After 86 years in New Jersey, the company is leaving Newark and consolidating its U.S. headquarters in Chicago. According to a WARN notice filed with the state, 307 New Jersey jobs will be eliminated beginning in October. NorthJersey.com reports our job loss is Chicago’s gain as about 600 corporate positions will be added there.

A pile of colorful candy-coated chocolates — Photo by Jacob McGowin on Unsplash

Talk about melting your heart.

Mars actually celebrated its move into Newark less than 10 years ago, calling it a return to its New Jersey roots. It was there in the 1940s and 50s, then moved its headquarters to Hackettstown.

The good news is this isn’t a total breakup. The company’s longtime operations in Hackettstown aren’t going anywhere, so New Jersey will still be making candy. It’s just the corporate suits who are packing up their desks and heading west.

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a hand holding a pack of cigarettes — Photo by Shyam Mishra on Unsplash

Still, it feels like the end of an era.

For generations, M&M's was one of those brands you just associated with New Jersey. They were woven into the state’s business history like Campbell’s and AT&T. You almost took it for granted that one of America’s most recognizable candy companies called the Garden State home.

Yes, the candy will still be on store shelves. And candy will still be manufactured in Hackettstown. Nobody’s taking away your peanut M&M’s by prying them out of your cold dead fingers.

But another famous name is taking “Headquarters: New Jersey” off its stationery and that’s never something to celebrate.

Maybe that’s why this news leaves such a bad taste in your mouth. But I guess it’s nothing a few M&M’s or some Skittles and Starbursts can’t cover up.

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Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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