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Headquarters:
410 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Employees: 16,400
CEO: William Perez
Stock Symbol: WWY
Website:
http://www.wrigley.com
Career Site
Wrigley is one of the world's largest makers
of chewing gum and candy. The company's well-known gums include
Juicy Fruit, Wrigley's Spearmint, Big Red, Doublemint, Hubba
Bubba, Freedent, Extra, Eclipse, Orbit and Excel.
Wrigley also sells candies, mints and breath
strips under the Life Savers, Altoids, Creme Savers, Pim Pom
and Solano brands. The company's products are sold in 180 countries.
In April, Mars Inc. agreed to buy Wrigley
Corp. for $80 per share or $23 billion. Mars Inc. is a family
owned company that produces some of the world's leading confectionery,
food and petcare products and has growing beverage and health
& nutrition businesses. It is maker of candy under the Snickers,
M&Ms and Milky Way brands.
Wrigley will become a private company and
part of Mars Inc. when the deal is completed.
In 2007, the company had revenues of $5.39
billion and net income of $632 million.
History
William Wrigley Jr. came to Chicago in
the spring of 1891 and founded the company that bears his name
on April 1. He was 29 years old, had $32 in his pocket, and possessed
unlimited energy and great talent as a salesman. He started out
selling soap. As an extra incentive to merchants to carry Wrigley's
soap, he offered them free baking powder. When baking powder
proved to be more popular than soap, he switched to the baking
powder business.
Then one day in 1892, Mr. Wrigley got the
idea of offering two packages of chewing gum with each can of
baking powder. The offer was a big success. Once again the premium
- chewing gum - seemed more promising than the product it was
supposed to promote.
At that time, there were at least a dozen
chewing gum companies in the United States, but the industry
was relatively undeveloped. Mr. Wrigley decided that chewing
gum was the product with the potential he had been looking for,
so he began marketing it under his own name. His first two brands
were Lotta and Vassar. Juicy Fruit gum came next in 1893, and
Wrigley's Spearmint was introduced later that same year.
In the very early days, William Wrigley
Jr. personally did much of the selling to the trade. He had a
gift for seeing his customers' point of view and accommodating
himself to their needs. As the company grew, Mr. Wrigley showed
an unusual knack for inspiring enthusiasm in the people who worked
with him.
Mr. Wrigley was also one of the pioneers
in the use of advertising to promote the sale of branded merchandise.
He saw that consumer acceptance of Wrigley's gum could be built
faster by telling people about the benefits of the product through
newspaper and magazine ads, outdoor posters and other forms of
advertising. Then, as more and more consumers began to ask for
and buy Wrigley's chewing gum in the stores, the storekeeper
would naturally want to keep a sufficient stock of Wrigley brands
on hand.
Wrigley acquired the Altoids and Life Savers
brands in 2005 from Kraft Foods in a deal worth $1.48 billion.
Benefits
Health Care Benefits
Associates and their eligible dependents may elect coverage under
a BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) PPO option or, at most locations,
choose medical coverage through a Health Maintenance Organization
(HMO). All plans include valuable preventative care coverage,
as well as prescription drug and mental health programs.
Dental Benefits
Associates and their eligible dependents may enroll in the Dental
Care Benefit plan.
Flexible Spending Plan
The Flexible Spending Plan offers a way for associates to reduce
their taxes by setting aside pre-tax dollars for qualifying expenses
such as health, dental and vision care expenses and dependent
care expenses.
Retirement Plan
Wrigley Associates are automatically enrolled in the Wrigley
Retirement Plan. The Company pays the entire cost of this benefit
that provides for normal retirement at age 65 or early retirement
with a reduced benefit at age 55, with the completion of five
years of service.
Wrigley Savings Plan
Associates can make contributions through payroll deductions
of 1-25% of their basic earnings, on a before-tax basis, after-tax
basis, or both, through the Wrigley Savings Plan. After one year
of employment, deposits of up to 6% of associates' pay are matched
by a Company contribution of 60%. The plan offers a wide array
of investment options. New associates can immediately roll over
funds from previous employers' 401(k) plans.
Stock Dividend and Reinvestment Plan
Associates can purchase Wrigley common stock through the convenience
of payroll deduction (a minimum of $10 per month), without paying
a broker's fee or service charge. Stock dividends credited to
an associate's account are used to purchase more shares of Wrigley
common stock.
Matching Grants Program
Following one year of service, Wrigley associates have the opportunity
to make a financial contribution to eligible organizations they
support, and have their contribution matched on a two-for-one
basis by The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company Foundation. The minimum
contribution per gift is $25 with a $1,500 maximum, consisting
of any combination of gifts, per person, per calendar year.
Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is designed to help associates
and their family members affected by personal or family problems
obtain the best assistance available. This program provides short-term
counseling, assessment, and referral services at no cost to associates
and their family members.
Vacation
Full-time associates earn vacation time for each calendar month
worked. Benefits accrue in such a way as to provide three weeks
vacation credit each year for associates with up to ten years
service, four weeks after ten years service, five weeks after
20 years service, six weeks after 30 years, seven weeks after
35 years, and eight weeks of vacation after 40 years.
Holidays
We offer competitive holiday schedule at our locations. Regular
holidays include New Year's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence
Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a floating holiday.
In addition, the Company provides extra holidays when circumstances
permit.
Education Assistance Plan
The Wrigley Education Assistance Plan helps associates who wish
to further their education at accredited schools or colleges.
Generally, covered courses are those that are job-related (including
graduate level courses) or that will lead to a high school diploma
or undergraduate college degree. The Plan provides for payment
of 100% of both course and book costs for up to six courses each
calendar year, for associates with six months or more of service.
Updated May 21, 2008
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