Campbell Builds on Success of Select Harvest Soups with New 100 Percent Natural Varieties

Five new Mediterranean-style soups showcase the flavorful and healthful ingredients that are key aspects of the Mediterranean diet, such as vegetables, whole grains and extra virgin olive oil.

17 Sep 2009 --- Campbell Soup Company is launching the next wave of one of its most successful soup introductions in years – Campbell’s Select Harvest soups. Building on the momentum established last year, Campbell is introducing 12 new, 100 percent natural varieties of Select Harvest soups, currently arriving on supermarket shelves across the country.

The new collection of 100 percent natural soups is the first from Campbell’s. These naturally delicious soups contain no artificial ingredients of any kind and include some of Campbell’s Select Harvest most popular varieties, like Chicken with Egg Noodles and Mexican-Style Chicken Tortilla.

Five new Mediterranean-style soups showcase the flavorful and healthful ingredients that are key aspects of the Mediterranean diet, such as vegetables, whole grains and extra virgin olive oil. They include two additional Select Harvest Light soups, with 80 calories or less per serving: Light Minestrone with Wholegrain Pasta and Light Roasted Chicken with Italian Herbs. Like the entire Select Harvest line, all of these soups contain natural sea salt and healthy sodium levels.

Sales of Campbell’s ready-to-serve soups increased 4 percent last year, mainly driven by the launch of Select Harvest. Since Campbell introduced Select Harvest soups last year, an estimated 3.7 million new households have started buying the soup, helping to make it the number one introduction in the soup category.

“We are extremely pleased with the performance of the Select Harvest brand in its first year and are looking forward to building on that success this year,” said Michael Barkley, Vice President, Campbell’s ready-to-serve soups. “We developed Select Harvest soups specifically for women by listening to what they wanted in a new soup from Campbell, namely ingredients they would find in their own kitchens. We continue to address consumers’ needs by expanding our soup offerings with the 100 percent natural and Mediterranean varieties.”

Campbell’s Select Harvest soups are the first from the company to feature a label with a clean and simple design, highlighting a short, familiar list of ingredients. The 12 new, 100 percent natural varieties of Select Harvest include:

* Chicken with Egg Noodles
* Mexican-Style Chicken Tortilla
* Italian-Style Wedding
* Savory Chicken and Long Grain Rice
* Roasted Chicken with Rotini and Penne Pasta
* Minestrone
* Vegetable Medley
* New Chicken Tuscany
* New Zesty Tomato Bisque
* New Savory Sausage and Vegetables
* New Light Roasted Chicken with Italian Herbs
* New Light Minestrone with Wholegrain Pasta

Campbell plans to support Select Harvest with a new marketing campaign, including print, television and online ads that highlight what consumers love about the soups: wholesome ingredients, great taste and a clean and simple label. New television advertising created by BBDO New York will begin airing in September, highlighted by a 30-second commercial. The ad, titled “Show the World,” captures people’s attention by showing the all-natural ingredients for Campbell’s Select Harvest soups by writing them on a building, in skywriting and carved into a farmer’s field.