Campbell’s brand drops ‘soup’ from its name after more than a century

Jack Aylmer

A HOUSEHOLD BRAND SINCE 1922 – CAMPBELL’S SOUP IS OFFICIALLY DROPPING PART OF ITS ICONIC NAME. 

THE COMPANY, KNOWN FOR ITS RED-AND-WHITE CANS, WILL NOW BE CALLED SIMPLY “CAMPBELL’S COMPANY.”

THE DECISION REFLECTS A GROWING PORTFOLIO BEYOND JUST SOUP. CAMPBELL’S CEO MARK CLoUSE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT WEDNESDAY SAYING, “WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE SOUP, AND WE’LL NEVER TAKE OUR EYE OFF OF THIS CRITICAL BUSINESS. BUT TODAY, WE’RE SO MUCH MORE THAN SOUP.”

AND HE’S NOT WRONG. OVER THE YEARS, CAMPBELL’S HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE BRANDS LIKE PREGO SAUCES, V8 BEVERAGES, AND GOLDFISH SNACKS. IN FACT, THESE PRODUCTS ARE BECOMING MORE OF A FOCUS FOR THE COMPANY.

IN 2023, NON-SOUP SALES GREW BY 13-PERCENT, WHILE SOUPS GREW BY JUST THREE-PERCENT. BUT THAT SMALL BOOST IS STILL A WIN FOR CLOUSE, AS THE COMPANY’S SOUP BUSINESS WAS STRUGGLING WHEN HE TOOK OVER FIVE YEARS AGO. 

ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, SOUPS HAD LOST THEIR APPEAL WITH CONSUMERS, BUT THAT TURNED AROUND WITH NEW FLAVORS, REDESIGNED CANS, AND FRESH IDEAS. 

CLOUSE SAYS THE NAME CHANGE KEEPS THE COMPANY’S RICH HISTORY WHILE BETTER REPRESENTING ITS WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS.

THE NEW NAME IS SET TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL APPROVAL PROCESS AT THE ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS MEETING IN NOVEMBER.

I’M JACK A

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