Tomato soup is a quintessential comfort food for many, whether topped with crackers, enjoyed plain, or used as an ingredient in a recipe. Customers have high expectations for tomato soup's color and taste due in part to the Campbell Soup Company.
Tomato soup from Campbell's is the most popular and iconic condensed soup product in North America. Campbell's has become the leader in tomato soup by focusing on quality ingredients and standards to preserve the color and taste their customers have known and loved for over 150 years.
A Brief History of Campbell's Soup
Campbell's was founded in 1869 by a fruit and vegetable vendor and a commercial canner and packer. By 1911, Campbell's soup was distributed across America, making the brand a kitchen staple. Today, 95.8% of American households use a Campbell brand product.
Their dedication to standardization is one of the reasons for Campbell's success. In 1912, Campbell's started a program to grow the foods they processed, including produce like tomatoes. Their agricultural experts realized they needed consistently high-quality tomatoes to ensure Campbell's tomato soup was the best. Campbell's perfected their soup recipes in 1929, enabling the brand to become the leader in condensed soup products.
Campbell's Focus on Soup Color
The deep red color is one of the most recognizable characteristics of Campbell's creamy tomato soup. Over the years, the company has made some key changes to improve the quality of its soup while preserving its status as the premier soup brand.
In 2009, the company reduced the sodium levels in Campbell's tomato basil soup by 32%. The new recipe uses natural sea salt to enhance the soup's flavor while relying on the same tomatoes for their trademark color. Extensive research and taste tests across the country found their customers liked the new recipe's taste and appearance.
As part of the food industry's trend to simplify ingredient labels, Campbell's started reducing their use of artificial flavors and colors in 2015. By 2018, all of their food products in North America were free of artificial flavors and colors.
