Campbell Soup history

In 1882 a partnership was formed between Campbell's son-in-law, Walter S. Spackman; Campbell's nephew, Joseph S. Campbell; and Arthur Dorrance, Spackman's personal friend who brought a cash infusion to the partnership.

Campbell reorganized into “Joseph Campbell & Co.” in 1896.

1898 The original labels for Campbell’s condensed tomato soup line were actually orange and blue, but this all changed in 1898 when the company’s treasurer, Herberton L. Williams, thought a red and white scheme would be more fitting.

Shipbuilding on the waterfront began about 1899.

In 1900, Campbell's soups won the Gold Medallion for excellence at the Paris Exposition.

In 1902 Chef DeLisle became the first executive chef of Campbell’s.

By 1904 the company sold 16 million cans of soup a year.

As the company began increasing the variety of soups it offered, it began canning less produce, eventually leading, in 1905, to a change in company name to Joseph Campbell Company.

Boasting 21 varieties of soup by this time, Campbell began to eye a bigger market; in 1911 Campbell began selling its products in California, thus becoming one of the first companies to serve the entire nation.

In 1912 Campbell began growing its own produce in an effort to standardize quality.

1913 Campbell’s Cream of Celery Soup is introduced.

J.T. Dorrance became president of the company in 1914.

In 1915 Dorrance became sole owner of Campbell when he bought out his uncle, Arthur Dorrance.

The first of many Campbell cookbooks, Helps for the Hostess, was published in 1916.

In 1921 Campbell acquired the Franco-American Food Company, and the next year the company was incorporated as the Campbell Soup Company.

Campbell Soup was founded on November 23, 1922, and is headquartered in Camden, NJ.”

John Dorrance and Chef Louis Charles DeLisle celebrating his Order of Chevalier du Merite (Knight of Merit) award in 1929.

When John Dorrance died in 1930, Arthur C. Dorrance was elected president.

Campbell began backing these introductions with radio advertising in 1931, using the famous "M'm! M'm! Good!" slogan.

After the program’s adaptation of The War of the Worlds became a sensation for accidentally starting a mass panic due to its realism, Campbell’s took over as sponsor of the radio theater program in December 1938.

Meantime, the company published its first full-length cookbook in 1941, titling it Easy Ways to Good Meals.

In 1942 sales topped $100 million for the first time.

In 1946 Arthur C. Dorrance died and James McGowen, Jr., became president.

Ronald Reagan was a spokesman for V8 when Campbell’s acquired the brand in 1948.

1950 The first Campbell television adverts air in the USA, and the company goes on to sponsor popular TV shows, Lassie and Peter Pan.

In the midst of this growth, W.B. Murphy was elected president, following McGowan's retirement in 1953.

In 1958 sales exceeded $500 million for the first time and Campbell established Campbell's Soups, S.p.A. in Italy.

In 1961 Campbell acquired Pepperidge Farm, a maker of quality baked goods, and a similar Belgian company, Biscuits Delacre.

1962 Artist Andy Warhol famously used the red and white Campbell’s Soup packaging design to create a series of 32 pop art silkscreened paintings – each representing a flavour from the brand’s condensed soup line.

Also in 1966 Campbell formed Godiva Chocolatier to distribute the Belgian-made chocolates in the United States.

Campbell created Champion Valley Farms, a pet food concern, in 1969.

Campbell, which had built its fortune on Dorrance's invention of condensed soup, introduced the Chunky brand of ready-to-serve soups in 1970.

In 1971, for the first time, Campbell's sales topped $1 billion.

In 1972 Murphy retired and was replaced as president by Harold A. Shaub.

In 1973 Campbell acquired Pietro's Pizza Parlors, a chain based in the Pacific Northwest.

In 1974 the company completed a purchase of the European Godiva company and became its sole owner.

In 1978 Campbell purchased Vlasic Foods, a Michigan-based producer of pickles and similar condiments, for approximately $35 million in capital stock.

In June 1980 the company entered the debt market with a $100 million ten-year offering.

In 1981 McGovern reorganized Campbell's management structure, dividing the company into two new divisions--Campbell United StatesA. and Campbell International--and about 50 business groups.

In 1982 Campbell acquired Mrs.

In 1984 John T. Dorrance, Jr., the son of condensed soup's inventor, retired as chairman of the board and became director of the board's executive committee.

The Cape Cod Potato Chip Hyannis Factory opened in 1985, where visitors can stop by for a self-guided tour.

In 1986 the company bought two more American food companies and established Campbell Enterprises to oversee non-grocery products.

By 1987 McGovern began selling off some of Campbell's less successful ventures.

In 1988 the Pietro's pizza and Annabelle's restaurants were also sold, taking Campbell out of the restaurant business entirely.

Campbell's management crisis was exacerbated by the death, in April 1989, of John Dorrance.

The cookie subsidiary of Campbell Soup, Campbell Biscuits Europe, got a head start on the market in February 1990, when it reorganized its European corporate structure, consolidated marketing, and standardized packaging.

But some analysts warned that the profits came at the expense of core brand promotion, which was cut in 1991.

The New Jersey State Aquarium opened in 1992.

In 1993 Vlasic retired as chairman, with Johnson taking on this additional title.

1994 Campbell’s celebrates its 125th anniversary.

Later in 1995, the company picked up Greenfield Healthy Foods, the number one maker of fat-free brownies and cookies for the health and convenience store markets, and Fresh Start Bakeries, a supplier of baked goods to fast-food restaurants.

Paul's frozen seafood line was sold to Pillsbury Co.'s Van de Kamp's unit in 1996.

Also in 1997 Arnotts acquired the Sydney, Australia-based Kettle Chip Company.

The latter, however, was sold in 1998.

In July 1999, meantime, Johnson retired from his remaining position as chairman.

In January 2001 Douglas R. Conant was brought onboard as the new president and CEO. A 25-year food industry veteran, Conant had experience at three of the largest food companies in the world: General Mills, Inc., the Kraft Foods unit of Philip Morris Companies Inc., and Nabisco Holdings Corp.

The first cans of kosher condensed Vegetarian Vegetable Soup hit the market in late 2003.

In 2006 Premier Foods, the United Kingdom’s largest food producer, purchased Campbell Soup’s subsidiaries in both the United Kingdom and Ireland.

In November 2007, Campbell's Soup sold Godiva to Yildiz Holding.

In the UK and Ireland, Campbell Soup was rebranded as Batchelors Condensed Soup (UK) and Erin (Ireland) in March 2008, when the license to use the brand name expired.

In 2009, Campbell’s completed the building of a new and expanded headquarters in the city.

In 2012, Campbell announced plans to buy Bolthouse Farms, a maker of juices, salad dressings, and baby carrots, for $1.55 billion.

In June 2013, Campbell acquired the Danish multinational baked goods company Kelsen Group for an undisclosed amount.

In June 2015, Campbell Soup acquired salsa maker Garden Fresh Gourmet for $231 million as it looked to expand into the fresh and organic packaged foods business.

In December 2017, Campbell's completed the acquisition of Pacific Foods of Oregon, LLC for $700 million and announced the agreement to acquire the snack company Snyder's-Lance for $4.87 billion in cash.

The company announced in January 2018 that their only Canadian factory, in Toronto, would close.