NEW YORK — 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 assortment of namesake canned soups, says it would now like to be known as “The 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 “Campbell Soup Co.” name was adopted in 1922, according to the company’s website.
The new name isn’t official yet. The “soup” decision is 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 just 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 company’s core 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.
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 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 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 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 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.
