Campbell Soup Company Drops Soup From Its Name

Campbell Soup Company plans to drop "soup" from its name, rebranding itself as the Campbell's Company after 102 years. This rebranding reflects a strategic shift towards a broader product range with a new emphasis on snacks.

Although Campbell’s has been known for its iconic canned soups for over 100 years, the company aims to represent its diverse offerings and the brands that drive the highest volume of sales, such as Goldfish crackers, Snyder's of Hanover, Cape Cod, Kettle, and Pepperidge Farm. Additionally, Campbell recently acquired Sovos Brands, the maker of popular Italian pantry staples like Rao's sauces. 

“We are so much more than soup,” noted Campbell's CEO Mark Clouse, emphasizing that this change is driven by a shift in consumer preferences. Snack sales have recently outpaced soup sales and other canned goods. In 2023, snack sales grew by 13%, while soup sales grew by just 3%. Moreover, snacks account for more than 50% of Campbell's entire revenue in 2023. 

This strategic rebranding in response to evolving consumer preferences is similar to Dunkin’s move to drop "Donuts" from its name in January 2019. Dunkin’s decision reflected a new emphasis on coffee and other food items over donuts. 

Campbell’s name change is consistent with broader national trends: 50% of Americans report eating three or more snacks per day, and the snack industry in the United States is valued at $200 billion.

The competition among consumer goods conglomerates to claim market share in this massive and ever-expanding space is well underway. In August, Mars, the maker of M&M's, agreed to buy Kellanova (which owns Cheez-Its and Pringles) for $29B.

 In a statement regarding the acquisition, Mars noted that it "accelerates our ambition to double Mars Snacking in the next decade, in alignment with global consumer demand trends…snacking is a large, attractive, and durable category that continues to grow in importance with consumers.” Dropping “Soup” can be considered Campbell’s preliminary response in the “snacking arms race.”

When building a community to drive sales it is essential to have a name that represents the hero products you sell. Many consumers associate iconic Campbell's canned soups with an older generation. I still remember my grandmother’s pantry lined with red with red and white cans. Furthermore, the soup cans evoke not-so-distant memories of the stressful and uncertain early months of the COVID-19 pandemic where families stocked up on pantry “survival” items like canned soup and prepared for doomsday scenarios. 

The new emphasis on snacks highlights the return to normality with office break rooms and weekends spent watching football with friends.

We can expect more news about acquisitions and rebrandings as the battle for snacking superiority continues.