Skip to content
Newsroom

Campbell Reinvents Condensed Soup…Starting With the ABC’s; A Family Favorite is One of 10 Improved Vegetable Varieties Introduced this Month

Press Releases

CAMDEN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 4, 2002–The soup that has
helped kids learn to spell for generations is now better than ever.
Campbell Soup Company announced today that 40 percent more letters
have been added to its classic Vegetable soup, known and loved by
millions as “Alphabet Soup.” The improvement is part of a message that
Campbell is sending to its consumers – it’s time to rediscover the
condensed soups you thought you knew. Vegetable (Alphabet) is just one
of 10 vegetable varieties that are part of the first upgrade for all
of Campbell’s condensed soups.

A favorite since 1899, Vegetable soup is one of the first
varieties introduced by the famous soup maker. Letters were added to
the soup in 1915 and kids have been spelling their names in the soup
ever since. A meatless version, Vegetarian Vegetable, was introduced
in 1937 and in 1969, the soup officially became known as “The Alphabet
Soup” – a moniker still on the label today.

In addition to Vegetable (Alphabet), family favorites like
Vegetable Beef, Minestrone, Old Fashioned Vegetable, and six others
have been upgraded – resulting in soups with dramatically improved
flavors, colors and textures. This is due to a significant investment
by Campbell in a cold blending technology to improve the company’s
condensed soups. This process allows Campbell to put more ingredients
in each can. In addition to adding 40 percent more letters to
Vegetable (Alphabet), there is also 20 percent more beef in Vegetable
Beef and more vegetables in each of the 10 vegetable varieties.

“The cold blend process enables Campbell to uniquely deliver truer
flavors, tastier ingredients and brighter, clearer, more delicious
broths to our consumers,” explains Michael Ferry, business director
for Campbell’s condensed soups. “This dramatic quality improvement
will make consumers think about condensed soups in a whole new way.”

The improvements to the vegetable varieties are the first in
Campbell’s three-year plan to overhaul condensed soup. Next year, the
Fun Favorites line and Chicken Rice varieties will also be improved,
with plans for nearly the entire condensed soup line to be upgraded by
2005.

Unparalleled Marketing Plan

Campbell’s commitment to condensed soups starts with the products
themselves and extends to the overall marketing support for its
brands. The company is launching an ambitious marketing plan to
support the new soup improvements, beginning with advertising, which
breaks this week. The fully-integrated plan also includes aggressive
in-store couponing and consumer promotions. The varieties will also be
featured on the front cover of a nationally-distributed freestanding
insert on December 8, which will include a coupon for $1.00 off two of
the improved vegetable varieties. This is the most valuable coupon for
condensed soup ever offered by Campbell Soup Company.

“This is the largest marketing initiative ever for our vegetable
varieties,” said Ferry. “We are putting more support behind these
improvements than any other condensed soup effort this year. This is
indicative of our confidence in this initiative. We know that when
consumers taste these soups they’ll love them,” Ferry added.

The improved varieties include:

All varieties are available in 10 1/2 or 10 3/4 ounce cans at an
average retail price of $1.02. Vegetable Beef and Vegetable (Alphabet)
are also available in 26 1/4 ounce Family Size cans with suggested
retail prices of $1.95 and $1.67, respectively. The improved varieties
will carry a label burst that reads “Better Than Ever…More
Vegetables” and are located in the new, easier-to-find “beef
vegetable” and “chicken” areas of the condensed soup section at
grocery stores nationwide.

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of
high quality soup, sauce, beverage, biscuit, confectionery and
prepared food products. The company owns a portfolio of more than 20
market-leading businesses each with more than $100 million in sales.
For more information on the company, visit Campbell’s website on the
Internet at www.campbellsoup.com.

Note: A photo is available at URL:
https://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.120402/bb6

–30–SF/ph*

CONTACT: Campbell Soup Company
Juli Mandel Sloves, 856/342-3717
[email protected]
or
Porter Novelli
Emily Kleinman, 202/973-1389
[email protected]


Share
FacebookTwitterLinkedInShare
Press Releases

Join our mailing list

Sign up to get the latest company news. Delivered from our family to yours.