Current:Home > InvestCampbell wants to say goodbye to the ‘soup’ in its name. It isn’t the first to make such a change -Dynamic Wealth Solutions
Campbell wants to say goodbye to the ‘soup’ in its name. It isn’t the first to make such a change
View
Date:2025-04-12 06:11:20
NEW YORK (AP) — Campbell is ready to drop the soup — at least from its official name.
Campbell Soup Co. announced its intention to change its name at an annual meeting of investors on Tuesday. The 155-year-old food seller, which is most famous for its namesake canned soups, says it would now like to be known as Campbell’s Co.
CEO Mark Clouse said in a statement that this “subtle yet important change” will retain the company’s iconic name “while better reflecting the full breadth” of its portfolio today.
Campbell hasn’t been exclusive to the soup business for some time. The company also owns brands like Prego sauce and Goldfish crackers — and completed a $2.7 billion acquisition of Sovos Brands, the maker of Rao’s pasta sauces, just earlier this year.
Campbell’s roots date back to 1869, as a modest operation out of New Jersey that later grew. The current Campbell Soup name was adopted in 1922, according to the company’s website.
The new name isn’t final yet, as it’s still subject to a shareholder approval vote in November. But the New Jersey company is far from the first to attempt such as makeover. A handful of other food companies have also rebranded themselves over the years — often shedding the mention of specific item they were known for with shorter corporate title, or even an updated logo, in hopes of emphasizing other business.
Manoj Thomas, a marketing professor at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, says that it’s important to consider whether a new name will disrupt product recognition or stray from a brand’s identity. But he doesn’t see these risks with Campbell — noting that the move is “unlikely to affect consumer perception” and may instead signal a “drive for expansion and growth.”
Here are some past examples.
Dunkin’
Back in 2018, Dunkin’ Donuts decided to shorten its name to just “Dunkin’” — which officially took effect in January 2019.
The Massachusetts-based chain had toyed with the idea for some time. And, while doughnuts are still very much on the menu, it eventually decided to rename itself to reflect its increasing emphasis on coffee and other drinks.
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme also dropped “doughnuts” from its corporate name several years later — ahead of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company’s second time going public in 2021.
According to a securities filing, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts changed its name to Krispy Kreme Inc. in May 2021. But the word “doughnuts” still prominently accompanies the Krispy Kreme name on the chain’s logo and boxes of treats.
Domino’s
Domino’s Pizza took the word “pizza” out of its logo and off storefronts back in 2012, with leadership of the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based chain at the time citing menu expansions and other in-store updates. But its parent company is still named “Domino’s Pizza Inc.,” which is what the brand trades as on the New York Stock Exchange.
Starbucks
Starbucks has also seen logo changes over the years — which included the shortening, and then dropping, of the Seattle coffee giant’s name over the years.
Back in 1971, Starbucks’ original logo depicted a siren surrounded by its then-name “Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spices,” the company notes on its website. In 1987, that siren got a makeover and the name encircling her was shortened to “Starbucks Coffee” — and by 2011, Starbucks introduced its latest logo, which doesn’t feature the company’s name at all.
While absent from the logo, Starbucks still operates as “Starbucks Coffee Co.,” or similar names that include the word “coffee” in many countries around the world, as subsidiaries of the larger Starbucks Corp.
KFC
KFC hasn’t been using the longer “Kentucky Fried Chicken” name for decades. The Yum brands-owned fast food chain shortened its name back in 1991, according to Snopes.
Still, messing with iconic brands can also have consequences — and potentially cause false rumors speculating reasons for the change. Long after shortening its name, Louisville-based KFC, for example, had to issue a press release a few years ago to combat an online rumor that it was forced to change its name because it doesn’t serve real chicken.
veryGood! (491)
Related
- Intellectuals vs. The Internet
- When Will Renewables Pass Coal? Sooner Than Anyone Thought
- Justice Department reverses position, won't support shielding Trump in original E. Jean Carroll lawsuit
- A robot was scheduled to argue in court, then came the jail threats
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- Climate-Driven Changes in Clouds are Likely to Amplify Global Warming
- Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott Break Up After 17 Years of Marriage
- DWTS’ Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy Welcome Baby Boy on Father's Day
- Trump's 'stop
- Yeah, actually, your plastic coffee pod may not be great for the climate
Ranking
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- 5 takeaways from the massive layoffs hitting Big Tech right now
- World Talks on a Treaty to Control Plastic Pollution Are Set for Nairobi in February. How To Do So Is Still Up in the Air
- And Just Like That Costume Designer Molly Rogers Teases More Details on Kim Cattrall's Cameo
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker Expecting First Baby Together: Look Back at Their Whirlwind Romance
- A tiny invasive flying beetle that's killed hundreds of millions of trees lands in Colorado
- Inside Clean Energy: A California Utility Announces 770 Megawatts of Battery Storage. That’s a Lot.
Recommendation
Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
Planes Sampling Air Above the Amazon Find the Rainforest is Releasing More Carbon Than it Stores
Exxon climate predictions were accurate decades ago. Still it sowed doubt
Mung bean omelet, anyone? Sky high egg prices crack open market for alternatives
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
Scott Disick Spends Time With His and Kourtney Kardashian's Kids After Her Pregnancy News
Inside Clean Energy: 6 Things Michael Moore’s ‘Planet of the Humans’ Gets Wrong
Aviation leaders call for more funds for the FAA after this week's system failure