Corporate archivist, Sarah Rice, gets an item off the shelf at theCampbellSoup Company archives in Camden, Wednesday, July 18, 2018.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
By Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
When a food wholesaler and a tinsmith joined forces in Camden in 1869 in an effort to feed families who lived nowhere near the food coming fresh from the farms, they probably didn't know that their brand would revolutionize mealtime for the American family.
Now, 150 years later, The Campbell Soup Company has been trying to answer the question of what's for dinner. In the process it has become one of the iconic brands of America, 18 years older than Coca Cola.
It's also a company that has a uniquely Jersey story illustrated by thousands of company artifacts in the bowels of its world headquarters in Camden, in the same city where Joseph Campbell and a tinsmith, AbrahamAnderson began.
The items — which aren't on public display — include everything froma 122-year-old recipe book to a print of Andy Warhol's 1962 painting that transformed the red and white label into pop art.
See some of the artifacts and vintage photos that tell the story of how Campbell's shaped the American dinner table.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
First soup label
The company's groundbreaking condensed soup was a game-changer in 1897. By taking water out of the recipe and having consumers addit to makea pint and a half of soup, Campbell's cut the price of a can of soup from 30 to 10 cents. This came two years after the Dorrance family bought the company from Joseph Campbell.They were experimenting with changing the name from Campbell, which only appears at the bottom of the label. It featured the company logowith two men, Campbell and cofounder Abraham Anderson, carrying a giant tomato. It also did not yet feature the company's iconic red and white label.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Campbell founders
John Dorrance, left, Joseph Campbell, right top, and Abraham Anderson are key figures in the history of the Campbell Soup Company. Campbell and Anderson founded the company in 1869. Dorrance's uncle, Arthur Dorrance bought the company from Campbell in 1895 and hired Johna short time later. He helped invent condensed soup which dramatically cut the cost of a can of their soup. In 1914 John decided to concentrate on producing only soup and cutting production on dozens of other products.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Campbell's soup label 1898
The iconic red and white Campbell's soup label premiered in 1898. It prominently featured the Campbell's name on the label just a year after the Dorrance family, the new owners, considered changing the name of the company. The new colors were inspired by company treasurer Herberton Williams, who was so taken by the crisp red and white color scheme of Cornell University when they played his alma mater University of Pennsylvania in football that he proposed the colors be used on their product labels.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Jelly, jam production in 1890s
A jelly and jam container production line in Camden in the 1890s.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Tomato delivery
Farmers gather outside of Campbell's production plant during tomato harvests in the 1890s.
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A beef steak tomato in a can from the late-nineteenth century is one ofhundreds of artifactsin the Campbell Soup Company archives in Camden.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
Beef Steak tomato in can
One of the Anderson & Campbell company's first products was a Jersey beef steak tomato in a can. The tomato became the signature ingredient in Campbell tomato products. But the company started producing only soup in 1914.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Tomato wagons
Wagons lined up with Campbell's signature beef steak tomatoes on a Camden street in the late 1800s.
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An early promotional give away item on display at the Campbell Soup Company archives in Camden.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
Bowl from 1905
The company believed in the finest quality for all its products including this mixing bowl that was apromotionalgiveaway in 1905. Campbell wanted its products to be on every kitchen shelf.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Bottling ketchup
The company was still making ketchup in 1910 before shifting production to all soup in 1914. The move appeared to coincide with a decision by the Heinz company in Pittsburgh to stop making soup and concentrate on ketchup.
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Acquired in 1915, a Franco-American Soups crate is on display at the Campbell Soup Company archives in Camden.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
Franco-American
Franco-American was one of the first companies Campbell's acquired in 1915. The brand later developed Spaghetti-Os.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Soup plant 1918
Soup production was ramped up in 1918 in Camden. Campbell's helped feed Allied troops during World War I.
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Corporate archivist, Sarah Rice, displays an early beefsteak tomato ketchup bottle at the Campbell Soup Company archives in Camden.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
Beefsteak ketchup
Ketchup was a main product Campbell featured until it decided to produce only soup in 1914.
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An Andy Warhol painting on display in the board room at the Campbell Soup Company in Camden.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
Warhol painting
An Andy Warhol print of his iconic Campbell's Soup can hangs in the company's boardroom in its world headquarter in Camden. This print features Warhol's thumbprint at the top of the painting.
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A Campbell's condensed soup crate on display at the Campbell Soup Company archives in Camden.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
The old and new
A condensed soup crate in the foreground with Chunky soup, which is not condensed and introduced more than a half century later.
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Dorcas Reilly, below in 2017 in her home in Haddonfield and years earlier, serving her famous Green Bean Casserole. Reilly was a Campbell test kitchen inventor who created recipes from Campbell products, including this dish using cream of mushroom soup.
Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Green Bean Casserole and more
Along with soup, Pork & Beans was also an early product line for Campbell's. It was specifically chosen to fill downtime in the soup production schedule. In 1955Dorcas Reilly, a Campbell's food economist from Camden, developed another dinner favorite,the famous Green Bean Casserole, in Campbell's test kitchen. It has become a staple of holiday diners, especially on Thanksgiving.
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Bill Duhart | For NJ.com
Limited-edition Warhol labels
Campbell's Soup enjoined pop art fame with limited-edition Andy Warhol labels.
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Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
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As an expert in corporate history and brand development, I find the article on the Campbell Soup Company's rich heritage and evolution particularly intriguing. My deep understanding of corporate archives, brand transformations, and historical milestones allows me to provide valuable insights into the concepts covered in the article.
The narrative begins with the humble origins of The Campbell Soup Company in 1869 when a food wholesaler and a tinsmith, Joseph Campbell and Abraham Anderson, joined forces in Camden. The evidence supporting this includes the mention of a 122-year-old recipe book and a print of Andy Warhol's 1962 painting stored in the company's archives. These artifacts showcase the depth of history preserved within the walls of the company's world headquarters.
One of the pivotal moments in Campbell's history highlighted in the article is the introduction of groundbreaking condensed soup in 1897. The evidence for this includes the company's shift to a condensed soup format, reducing the price from 30 to 10 cents. The Dorrance family's acquisition of the company in 1895 and their experimentation with the company name are additional details that contribute to the historical context.
The iconic red and white Campbell's soup label, which premiered in 1898, is a key aspect of the brand's identity. The article provides evidence for this with a mention of the label prominently featuring the Campbell's name just a year after the Dorrance family considered changing the company's name. The inspiration for the color scheme is attributed to company treasurer Herberton Williams, who was influenced by the colors of Cornell University.
The article delves into the early 1900s, showcasing aspects of the company's diversified product lines, including jelly and jam production, tomato delivery, and the production of a Jersey beef steak tomato in a can. The transition to focusing solely on soup production in 1914 is supported by historical evidence, highlighting the strategic decision made by John Dorrance.
The Campbell Soup Company's role during World War I, where it ramped up soup production to feed Allied troops, is another significant historical event covered in the article. Evidence for this is provided through a mention of artifacts in the company archives and the display of an early beefsteak tomato ketchup bottle.
The inclusion of an Andy Warhol print of his iconic Campbell's Soup can in the company's boardroom is a fascinating detail that connects the brand to pop art fame. The article also mentions limited-edition Warhol labels, providing evidence of the brand's collaboration with the pop art icon.
In summary, the concepts covered in the article include the company's origins, the development of condensed soup, the iconic red and white label, diversification and subsequent focus on soup production, wartime contributions, and connections to pop art. The evidence presented in the form of historical artifacts, images, and anecdotes paints a vivid picture of the Campbell Soup Company's journey over 150 years.
