Campbell Soup

I expected big results from my shares of Campbell Soup Co. Why haven't they done better this year? - F.C., via the Internet The world's largest soup maker has seen sales of that product cool off a bit lately, while its marketing and selling costs have risen. A decline in sales of its ready-to-serve soups has weighed on the stock price. In addition, competitor General Mills launched Progresso microwave soups that could threaten Campbell's longtime leadership in that category. Campbell Soup shares (CPB)

I expected big results from my shares of Campbell Soup Co. Why haven't they done better this year? - F.C., via the Internet The world's largest soup maker has seen sales of that product cool off a bit lately, while its marketing and selling costs have risen. A decline in sales of its ready-to-serve soups has weighed on the stock price. In addition, competitor General Mills launched Progresso microwave soups that could threaten Campbell's longtime leadership in that category. Campbell Soup shares (CPB)

Visually delicious. How else to describe as happy a show of food-oriented art as "Selections From the Campbell Museum Collection," which opened at the Baltimore Museum of Art yesterday.You guessed it: The Campbell of the title is the Campbell Soup Co., which for the past quarter of a century has been collecting soup tureens and related objects (bowls, plates, spoons). The museum is in Camden, N.J., and its traveling show of selections has been to about 80 places including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Smithsonian in Washington and, yes, the BMA about 20 years ago. But most of the objects were different, and when objects are as good to look at as these, a visit every 20 years is not too often.

CAMDEN, N.J. -- Campbell Soup Co., the world's largest soup maker, agreed yesterday to sell its Fresh Start Bakeries Inc. unit for an undisclosed price, completing its plan to focus on businesses with the highest growth potential.Campbell will sell 14 of Fresh Start's 15 bakeries to a joint venture of Berkshire Partners, a Boston investment company, and Fresh Start's management.The remaining bakery, in Kansas City, Kan., will be bought by a joint venture of Best Harvest LLC and the new Fresh Start venture.

CAMDEN, N.J. -- Campbell Soup Co., the world's largest soup maker, agreed yesterday to sell its Fresh Start Bakeries Inc. unit for an undisclosed price, completing its plan to focus on businesses with the highest growth potential.Campbell will sell 14 of Fresh Start's 15 bakeries to a joint venture of Berkshire Partners, a Boston investment company, and Fresh Start's management.The remaining bakery, in Kansas City, Kan., will be bought by a joint venture of Best Harvest LLC and the new Fresh Start venture.

Less than a year after Campbell Soup Co. shuttered a poultry processing plant two miles outside of Chestertown, costing 220 employees their jobs, a new company plans to reopen the plant and employ as many people within one year, state officials said yesterday.Chestertown Foods, a company formed by four executives of two New Jersey-based food companies, will spend $4.9 million to acquire and refurbish the plant.That includes a $1.5 million low-interest loan from the state's community development block grant program, which is financed by the federal government, state officials said.

SALISBURY -- A decision by Campbell Soup Co. to close its main Eastern Shore plant will cost more than 800 jobs and aggravate bleak employment conditions in this mostly rural part of Maryland.The Salisbury plant, which makes soups and frozen dinners, and a Philadelphia plant that makes Mrs. Paul's frozen fish products will close within six months, Campbell announced yesterday.C. Scott Rombach, vice president of corporate relations, came to Salisbury from the company's headquarters in Camden, N.J., to break the news.

An Annapolis woman and her 15-year-old daughter are suing the Campbell Soup Company, claiming they found a worm in their vegetable soup.Diana Elliott Early and her daughter, Jessica, were eating Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable Soup on Sept. 27, 1989, when the child noticed what appeared to be an insect or a rodent in her bowl, according to the suit. The substance was identified as a worm known as a "European corn borer," according to the complaint, filed Wednesday in countyCircuit Court.After seeing the worm, the mother and daughter "were overcome with hysteria, became nauseous and vomited for approximately two hours,"the suit states.

WE RECEIVED a press release the other day from America Demographics magazine on a survey about the strength of brand loyalty among U.S. consumers.One fact box listed the nation's top brands: Campbell Soup ranked highest with 98 percent of respondents having familiarity with the product. Hallmark Cards came next with 97 percent, followed by such pillars of American life as Hershey's, McDonald's, Sears and Coca-Cola, all at 95 percent or above. Which led to an obvious question:Who are the 2 to 5 percent who've never heard of Campbell soup, a Hershey bar, a Big Mac or a Coke?

Campbell Soup buys Pace FoodsCampbell Soup Co. said yesterday that it would pay $1.1 billion to buy the world's largest maker of Mexican salsa and sauces.The Camden, N.J., food company said it would buy Pace Foods Ltd., of San Antonio, Texas, which is the top-selling Mexican sauce brand in the United States and in the world.Campbell says the Mexican sauce category, mainly picante sauce and salsa, has grown at an annual rate of 13 percent since 1988 and, since 1992, has accounted for more sales than ketchup.

Less than a year after Campbell Soup Co. shuttered a poultry processing plant two miles outside of Chestertown, costing 220 employees their jobs, a new company plans to reopen the plant and employ as many people within one year, state officials said yesterday.Chestertown Foods, a company formed by four executives of two New Jersey-based food companies, will spend $4.9 million to acquire and refurbish the plant.That includes a $1.5 million low-interest loan from the state's community development block grant program, which is financed by the federal government, state officials said.

Campbell Soup buys Pace FoodsCampbell Soup Co. said yesterday that it would pay $1.1 billion to buy the world's largest maker of Mexican salsa and sauces.The Camden, N.J., food company said it would buy Pace Foods Ltd., of San Antonio, Texas, which is the top-selling Mexican sauce brand in the United States and in the world.Campbell says the Mexican sauce category, mainly picante sauce and salsa, has grown at an annual rate of 13 percent since 1988 and, since 1992, has accounted for more sales than ketchup.

Simple and satisfying, lovely for lunch, super for supper -- what could be more appealing than soup? Especially when the temperature dips and the days seem long and dark.Recalls Harold Marmelstein, executive chef at the Polo Grill, "I grew up in upstate New York, where it's real cold, so in the winter I want a good, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs type of soup -- bean soup with a nice ham bone in it, or a thick minestrone with lots of pasta and prosciutto."Mr. Marmelstein said that while the Polo Grill, at the Inn at the Colonnade, still offers its notably creamy crab and corn chowder, "a lot of people are asking for cream-less soups."

WE RECEIVED a press release the other day from America Demographics magazine on a survey about the strength of brand loyalty among U.S. consumers.One fact box listed the nation's top brands: Campbell Soup ranked highest with 98 percent of respondents having familiarity with the product. Hallmark Cards came next with 97 percent, followed by such pillars of American life as Hershey's, McDonald's, Sears and Coca-Cola, all at 95 percent or above. Which led to an obvious question:Who are the 2 to 5 percent who've never heard of Campbell soup, a Hershey bar, a Big Mac or a Coke?

SALISBURY -- A decision by Campbell Soup Co. to close its main Eastern Shore plant will cost more than 800 jobs and aggravate bleak employment conditions in this mostly rural part of Maryland.The Salisbury plant, which makes soups and frozen dinners, and a Philadelphia plant that makes Mrs. Paul's frozen fish products will close within six months, Campbell announced yesterday.C. Scott Rombach, vice president of corporate relations, came to Salisbury from the company's headquarters in Camden, N.J., to break the news.

The Campbell Soup Co. has taken an old-time ready-made cooking ingredient -- condensed soups -- and fashioned it into a time-saving element that's perfect for the 1990s.According to Pat Teberg, editor of "Simply Delicious Recipes" (Brimar Publishing), Campbell introduced the idea of using condensed soups in the company's first cookbook, "Helps for the Hostess," in 1916.Campbell estimates that 1 million cans of soup are used in recipes each day in the United States. With its new book, the company is attempting to introduce the concept to other parts of the world.

Campbell SoupJune Page, Bear Stearns, turns thumbs up on Campbell Soup (CPB, NYSE, around $54)."Its products -- such as Le Menu, Swanson, V-8, Pepperidge Farm, Vlasic, Mrs. Paul's, Godiva and Prego -- tend to have the number one or two market shares . . . The company has been undergoing a major restructuring program that should significantly improve earnings, margins and return on equity. Over the next three years, the firm should sustain the highest rate of profit growth in the packaged food industry . . . . Buy."

Campbell Soup"We are upgrading our rating on Campbell Soup (CPB, NYSE, around $75) from hold to buy," says Argus Research of New York City."In the last year, management has taken measures that have rejuvenated growth. Earnings for 1991 were 22 percent higher than they were in 1990. In our view, this is only the beginning. Momentum should be extended through new product offerings and by selected price increases. Owing to these factors, we look for another 22 percent earnings gain to $3.85 a share in 1992.

Visually delicious. How else to describe as happy a show of food-oriented art as "Selections From the Campbell Museum Collection," which opened at the Baltimore Museum of Art yesterday.You guessed it: The Campbell of the title is the Campbell Soup Co., which for the past quarter of a century has been collecting soup tureens and related objects (bowls, plates, spoons). The museum is in Camden, N.J., and its traveling show of selections has been to about 80 places including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Smithsonian in Washington and, yes, the BMA about 20 years ago. But most of the objects were different, and when objects are as good to look at as these, a visit every 20 years is not too often.

An Annapolis woman and her 15-year-old daughter are suing the Campbell Soup Company, claiming they found a worm in their vegetable soup.Diana Elliott Early and her daughter, Jessica, were eating Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable Soup on Sept. 27, 1989, when the child noticed what appeared to be an insect or a rodent in her bowl, according to the suit. The substance was identified as a worm known as a "European corn borer," according to the complaint, filed Wednesday in countyCircuit Court.After seeing the worm, the mother and daughter "were overcome with hysteria, became nauseous and vomited for approximately two hours,"the suit states.