Is This The End of Campbell’s Soup? Why Shelves Are Going Empty!
Since 1869, Campbell’s has been making tasty soups that many of us love. Their soups are so good that we often say, “mmm mmm good” when we eat them. But now, the famous company that has been a comfort food favorite for more than 100 years is cutting back on its operations. This change is making many customers unhappy.
Keep reading to find out what’s happening to this kitchen staple. Some of Campbell’s products have already disappeared from supermarket shelves in the UK!
In the 1960s, artist Andy Warhol showed his love for Campbell’s Soup, which he had been eating for 20 years. He created art using metallic enamel paint on canvas. Warhol painted 32 nearly identical Campbell’s Soup cans, each one showing a different flavor that was available back then.
Dwindling Supplies
In 2018, Campbell’s stopped making soup at its almost 100-year-old factory in Toronto, Canada, which led to about 400 people losing their jobs.
By 2023, Campbell’s snacks, like Goldfish crackers, were bringing in close to $1 billion in sales each year.
In November 2023, people in the U.K. were having a hard time finding their favorite Campbell’s soups because the famous red and white cans had disappeared from supermarket shelves.
According to the Sun, a pack of six cans was being sold on eBay for over $50 US dollars.
One person online said, “I’ve been to every major supermarket I can think of, and there’s 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.”
Some Campbell’s soup flavors have come back, and others have been given new names. But people in the UK are still asking for their favorite flavors, like celery soup.
Here are some Campbell’s soup flavors that people 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 one of the soups in Andy Warhol’s famous art collection)
What Happened
As more people start focusing on their health, Campbell’s needs to make changes to keep up.
To meet people’s needs, the New Jersey-based company announced it would be making big changes to improve production, making it more efficient, affordable, and better for customers.
This includes cutting jobs and stopping soup production at some of its factories.
These Are the Facilities That Will Be Affected:
Paris, Texas: In the next two years, the Campbell’s factory in Paris, Texas will stop making canned soups. Instead, it will focus on producing Prego pasta sauce and Pace salsa.
Tualatin, Oregon: In 2017, Campbell’s bought a plant in Tualatin, Oregon when it purchased Pacific Foods. This plant made Pacific’s organic soups, broths, and plant-based drinks. The company says the plant will gradually close, starting in August 2024 and finishing by July 2026.
Jefferson, Indiana: Starting in July 2024, the plant in Jeffersonville will focus on making Late July tortilla chips. Production of other kettle-cooked chips, like Cape Cod and Kettle brand, will be moved to Campbell’s plants in Charlotte and Hanover.
The future
The company is investing $230 million to expand its business, which will create 210 new jobs in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
Did You Know? On this day in 1898, Campbell’s executive Herberton Williams went to a Cornell vs. Penn football game. He liked Cornell’s red and white uniforms so much that Campbell’s decided to use those colors for its soup cans, changing them from orange and black to red and white!
Right now, Campbell’s Soup hasn’t announced that it will fully close its operations. However, it is reorganizing, which includes selling parts of the business, closing some facilities, and focusing on new products and markets.
What Campbell’s product do you wish you could buy again? Share your thoughts with us and let others know so we can hear their opinions too!
