Norwalk — Following the news Wednesday morning of Pepperidge Farm moving its headquarters out of Norwalk, community leaders are reacting with disappointment.

Campbell Soup Company, the parent company of Pepperidge Farm, announced Wednesday morning plans to close the business' Norwalk headquarters and relocate to Camden, N.J.

The Pepperidge Farm office and development center, located at 595 Westport Ave., employs 170 people and will provide the opportunity for employees to relocate to the New Jersey office, according to the company statement.

The company's headquarters was in Norwalk for more than 70 years and the 105,000-square-foot complex off Route 1 will be up for sale, according to the company.

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling said he was disappointed in the company's decision to consolidate.

"Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin was one of the great business leaders of her time and fulfilled her dream of opening a state-of-the-art bakery right here in Norwalk, in 1947," Rilling said. "When I was younger, we would take school trips to Pepperidge Farm, and they would give each student a loaf of bread. I have fond memories of learning how their bread was made."

When a corporation the size of Pepperidge Farm's size leaves a community, it disrupts the lives of those in and associated with the town, Rilling said.

"While the company is giving employees the opportunity to relocate to their New Jersey headquarters, it's very challenging for most families to move and uproot their lives," Rilling said. "Unfortunately, the company did not give the city advance notice that it would be closing, but workforce development has been a top priority for my administration and the state of Connecticut."

Employees of the Norwalk office will relocate to Camden in phases starting in mid-2023 and continue through next year, according to the statement. Employees who opt against relocation will be provided job placement support and benefits.

Rilling encouraged any Pepperidge Farm employees looking to remain in the area to contact the city's Community Services Department at City Hall and utilize the community resource hub for training and work opportunities.

"Our community resources department was created to be a resource to residents during challenging circumstances and will work closely with our community partners to help residents access the services they need," Rilling said.

Norwalk Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brian Griffin said the closure of Pepperidge Farm's Norwalk location is a loss for the city's economic community.

The Chamber hopes another community-minded business occupies the facility soon, Griffin said.

"We were truly saddened to hear about the closure of the facility, not only being a major employer here, but also considering Pepperidge Farm's very long history with Norwalk and their significant support to the local community," Griffin said. "They have been involved with us for many decades and have long been a part of our Leadership program."

Meanwhile, the Pepperidge Farm bakery in Bloomfield, established in 2002, will not only remain open, but expand and is actively hiring, according to Campbell's.

Westport Avenue was still late Wednesday morning, with the Pepperidge Farm warehouse's truck bays quiet and no employees visible in or around the office.

The Norwalk parcel was purchased by Pepperidge Farm Incorporated in 2006 from "Fairfield Norwalk Limited Partnership," which purchased to plot in 1966, according to city land records.

The property, constructed in 1946, was appraised at $21.55 million in 2018, according to city records. The city is currently undergoing the state-mandated five-year appraisal and the property may change in value in the coming months.