Since 1869, Campbell’s put delicious soup in our mouths and “mmm mmm good” on our lips.
But now, the iconic company that defined comfort food for more than a century is scaling back operations, a saucy move that’s causing a lot of discomfort among its consumers.
Keep reading to learn what’s happening to the kitchen cupboard staple, items that have already disappeared from supermarket shelves in the UK!
In the 1960’s, Andy Warhol immortalized his appreciation for Campbell’s Soup that kept him fed for two decades. Using metallic enamel pain on canvas, he painted 32 nearly identical cans of Campbells on canvas, each panel featuring a flavor from that time.
“I used to have the same lunch every day, for twenty years, I guess, the same thing over and over again,” Warhol said of his inspiration, which now hangs at MoMA.
Today, Campbell’s has a portfolio that includes hundreds of condensed soups and ready to eat foods, Pace Foods (salsa), Prego (pasta sauces), Pepperidge Farms (Goldfish crackers) Swanson (TV dinners) and Snyder’s-Lance (pretzels and chips).
Dwindling supplies
In 2018, Campbell’s stopped soup production at its almost 100-year-old facility in Toronto, Canada, canning about 400 people from their jobs.
Approaching $1 billion in annual sales, @GoldfishSmiles is the star of our #CampbellSnacks portfolio.#CPBearnings $CPB pic.twitter.com/VEWnO2v9FA
— Campbell’s (@CampbellSoupCo) March 8, 2023
And in November 2023, consumers across the U.K. were scrambling to find their favorite tinned soups after discovering the iconic red and white cans disappeared from supermarket shelves.
According to the Sun, one pack of six cans was being sold on eBay for more than $50US.
Lamenting the lost treasure, one online user writes, “I’ve been to EVERY major supermarket I can think of…and…NOTHING! The condensed tomato soup is a staple in [our] house, used weekly to make a pasta dish the kids absolutely love, but it’s vanished off the face of the earth.”
One week til game day! Start planning your menu now with these winning recipes from @Campbells: https://t.co/WphQUkCWC5 #MmMmGood pic.twitter.com/E1XCj5z4L1
— Campbell’s (@CampbellSoupCo) February 6, 2022
Though some flavors reappeared, others were rebranded, and UK consumers are still begging for their favorites, like celery.
Here are some flavors consumers around the world will never see again:
- Pepper Pot Soup
- K-Cup single serve soups
- Chunky Philly-Style Cheesesteak Soup
- Scotch Broth Soup
- Green Pea soup (this was featured in Warhol’s famous collection).
What happened
As people are growing more health conscious, the company needs to step up its game.
Responding to the needs of the population, the New Jersey-based company announced it was planning a complete sweep of its network to make production more efficient, affordable and consumer friendly.
This means cutting jobs and halting production of soup at some of its facilities.
Here are the facilities that will be impacted
Paris, Texas: Over the next two years, the Campbell’s factory in Paris, Texas is ceasing production of its canned soups and refocusing its operations to Prego pasta sauce and Pace salsa products.
Tualatin, Oregon: In 2017, Campbell’s acquired a plant in Tualatin, Oregon plant as part of its purchase of Pacific Foods, products that include Pacific’s organic soup, broth and plant-based beverages.According to a company statement, the plant will cease operations over stages, the first that started in August 2024 and the last by July 2026.
Jefferson, Indiana: As of July 2024, the Jeffersonville plant will focus on Late July tortilla chips, moving production of kettle-cooked chips, like Cape Cod and Kettle brand, to Campbell’s Charlotte and Hanover plants.
The future
The company is also investing $230 million to grow business, which includes 210 new employment opportunities in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
On this day in 1898, Herberton Williams, a Campbell exec, attended a Cornell vs. Penn football game. He loved the red & white combo of Cornell’s uniforms so much that we used them on our soup cans, changing them from orange & black to red & white! #CampbellArchives pic.twitter.com/FAQCQdRWPP
— Campbell’s (@CampbellSoupCo) November 24, 2021
At this time, Campbell’s Soup hasn’t announced a full closure of its operations. However, it is restructuring, a plan that includes selling off parts of its business, closing certain facilities, and shifting its focus to different product lines or market segments.
What Campbell’s product do you wish you could buy again?