Wrigley to shut down Toronto gum factory

A Wrigley-owned gum factory near Eglinton and Leslie is set to close in March 2016, eliminating 400 jobs. In a statement released today, Mars, Wrigley's parent company, said most of the production will shift to a facility in Gainesville, Georgia.

"Despite recent improvements in the gum category and increased productivity in our supply chain network, it has not been enough to offset declines in the gum category over recent years," they wrote. "With 80 percent of the factory's volume being produced for the U.S. marketplace, our long-term needs will be best met by our two facilities in the U.S."

Mars, Wrigley's parent company, says it has no plans to eliminate its Canadian workforce, which currently stands at 1,200 employees.