The soup category simmers with convenient, fresh offerings
Major soup category news landed at the end of 2017 when Campbell Soup Company announced it completed the acquisition of Pacific Foods of Oregon (Pacific Foods) for $700 million in cash. Over the course of 2018, Campbell appointed Roberto Leopardi as President, Campbell Meals & Beverages and introduced Well Yes!® Sipping Soups. Pacific Foods on the other pushed deeper into the bone broth segment with a line of soups made with organic bone broth.
Within the larger, overall soup category, data from IRI show dollar and sales increases for broths and dry and ramen soups. Nissin Foods, Gardena, Calif. reformulated its Nissin Top Ramen brand to cut sodium by an average of 15% across all flavors, remove added MSG and remove all artificial flavors. Separately, it introduced Cup Noodles Very Veggie, which it says is the only instant noodle cup to feature one full vegetable serving.