Soup Brand Ownership: Campbell's and Its Rivals
The Campbell's Company dropped 'Soup' from its name in 2024 but still owns Rao's, Goldfish, and Pepperidge Farm. Here is the complete ownership map of canned and packaged soup brands.
The company that built its entire identity around canned soup just removed the word "Soup" from its own name. In late 2024, Campbell Soup Company officially rebranded as The Campbell's Company, acknowledging that packaged snacks and premium sauces now generate as much revenue as the canned soup lines that made the brand famous. Andy Warhol made that red-and-white can iconic in 1962. Six decades later, the company it advertised is moving away from it.
The soup category has not disappeared. It is still a multi-billion dollar market with a range of corporate owners, from General Mills to Unilever to independent family businesses. We traced the ownership of every major soup brand so you can see exactly who controls what.
The Campbell's Company: From Soup to Snacks and Sauces
The Campbell's Company (NASDAQ: CPB) was founded in Camden, New Jersey in 1869 by Joseph Campbell and Abraham Anderson. The company pioneered canned condensed soup and built one of the most recognizable consumer brands in American history.
Today, The Campbell's Company describes itself as a portfolio of 16 leadership brands. The shift to "The Campbell's Company" from "Campbell Soup Company" reflects a portfolio where the flagship Campbell's soups are one segment among many.
The company's current brand portfolio spans two primary divisions:
- Campbell's (condensed and ready-to-serve soups, gravies, pasta sauces)
- Chunky (ready-to-serve soup)
- Pacific Foods (organic and natural soups and broths)
- Swanson (broth products)
- Prego (pasta sauce)
- Pace (salsa and Mexican sauces)
- Rao's Homemade (premium pasta sauce and soups)
- V8 (vegetable juices)
- Pepperidge Farm (cookies, crackers, breads)
- Goldfish (fish-shaped crackers, one of The Campbell's Company's three $1 billion brands)
- Lance (sandwich crackers)
- Cape Cod (kettle potato chips)
- Kettle Brand (premium potato chips)
- Late July (organic snacks)
- Snyder's of Hanover (pretzels)
- Pop Secret (microwave popcorn)
The most strategically significant recent addition to the portfolio is Rao's Homemade. The Campbell's Company acquired Rao's in 2023 for approximately $2.7 billion, significantly above any prior revenue multiple for a packaged sauce brand. Rao's was founded in 1992 and built a cult following as a premium pasta sauce. Campbell's management has identified Rao's as a potential fourth $1 billion brand, with the company targeting double-digit net sales growth through fiscal year 2026 via capacity additions and new product adjacencies.
The company changed its name in late 2024, with shareholders voting overwhelmingly to approve "The Campbell's Company" to replace "Campbell Soup Company." The renaming was primarily symbolic but signaled the strategic shift away from soup as the portfolio's defining identity.
Progresso: The General Mills Soup Brand
The other major branded soup in US supermarkets is Progresso, which is owned by General Mills (NYSE: GIS), one of the world's largest food companies.
Progresso was founded in New Orleans in 1905 by an Italian immigrant family, originally producing Italian food products for the Italian-American community. The brand expanded into canned soup and became a national brand over the following decades. General Mills acquired Progresso in 1996 as part of its acquisition of the Pillsbury Company's soup business.
Under General Mills, Progresso has been positioned primarily against Campbell's in the ready-to-serve soup segment. The brand generates estimated annual revenues in the range of $400 to $600 million, making it the second-largest branded soup in the US market.
General Mills has invested in the Progresso brand's "lighter" and reduced-sodium positioning, targeting health-conscious consumers who have driven a broader shift toward lower-sodium packaged foods.
Knorr: Soup in the Unilever Portfolio
Knorr is the world's largest soup and culinary brand by global sales, owned by Unilever (LSE: ULVR; NYSE: UL). Founded in 1838 by Carl Heinrich Knorr in Heilbronn, Germany, the brand was acquired by CPC International (later Best Foods) and ultimately became part of Unilever in 2000 when Unilever acquired Bestfoods for approximately $24 billion.
Knorr products include bouillon cubes, powdered soups, packet soups, and ready-to-cook meal kits, and the brand operates in approximately 80 countries. Knorr is significantly larger than Campbell's by global revenue across its full product range.
As of 2025, Knorr's status within Unilever's portfolio is notable context. Unilever completed the sale of its tea business (Lipton, PG Tips) in 2022, and the company has continued to review its food portfolio for strategic fit. Knorr has been identified as a growth priority for Unilever's Foods & Refreshment division, and the company has invested in Knorr's sustainability positioning, including regenerative agriculture sourcing programs.
The Premium Soup Segment
Premium and artisan soup has been among the fastest-growing segments in the packaged food market. Several brands occupy this space with different ownership profiles.
Pacific Foods is now owned by The Campbell's Company. Campbell's acquired Pacific Foods in 2017 for approximately $700 million. Pacific Foods was founded in 1987 in Tualatin, Oregon as an organic food company, making it one of the earlier acquisitions of a natural food brand by a major soup company.
Amy's Kitchen is a premium organic soup brand that remains independently owned. Founded in 1987 in Petaluma, California by Andy and Rachel Berliner, Amy's Kitchen has maintained private family ownership through decades of growth. The company's revenues are estimated at approximately $600 million annually, making it one of the largest independently owned natural food companies in the United States.
Kettle & Fire is a bone broth and premium soup brand that operates as a direct-to-consumer and specialty retail brand, remaining independently owned since its founding in 2015.
Global Soup Brand Ownership Summary
| Brand | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Campbell's | The Campbell's Company (NASDAQ: CPB) | Founded 1869, renamed from Campbell Soup Co. in 2024 |
| Chunky | The Campbell's Company | Premium ready-to-serve sub-brand |
| Progresso | General Mills (NYSE: GIS) | Acquired 1996 |
| Pacific Foods | The Campbell's Company | Acquired 2017 for ~$700 million |
| Rao's (soup) | The Campbell's Company | Acquired 2023 for ~$2.7 billion |
| Knorr | Unilever (LSE: ULVR) | World's largest soup/culinary brand globally |
| Heinz (soup, UK) | The Kraft Heinz Company | Major UK soup brand |
| Baxters | Baxters Food Group (private) | Scottish family-owned, founded 1868 |
| Amy's Kitchen | Berliner family (private) | Largest independent US natural soup brand |
| Crosse & Blackwell | BirdsEye (Nomad Foods) | UK; ownership via Nomad Foods portfolio |
Source: WhoBrands.com research and public company filings, as of April 2026.
Why Campbell's Diversified Beyond Soup
Per capita consumption of canned condensed soup in the United States has declined over several decades as consumers shifted toward fresh, refrigerated, and restaurant-prepared meals.
Campbell's management responded with two moves: premiumizing the soup portfolio through the Pacific Foods and Rao's acquisitions, while building a parallel snacks business in faster-growing categories. The snacks division now represents approximately 55 percent of The Campbell's Company's revenue, with the Meals and Beverages division at approximately 45 percent.
The Rao's acquisition is the clearest bet on soup's premium potential. Rao's pasta sauce retails at three to four times the price of comparable Campbell's branded sauces, showing that premium positioning can drive significant value even in a traditionally commoditized packaged food category. Campbell's is now expanding the Rao's brand into soups, frozen meals, and other adjacent products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Campbell Soup Company change its name? Yes. In late 2024, shareholders overwhelmingly approved renaming Campbell Soup Company as The Campbell's Company. The renaming reflects the portfolio's shift away from soup as its primary product category, with snacks and premium sauces now representing the majority of revenues.
Who owns Rao's Homemade? Rao's Homemade is owned by The Campbell's Company (NASDAQ: CPB). Campbell's acquired Rao's in 2023 for approximately $2.7 billion in one of the largest single-brand acquisitions in packaged food history.
Who makes Progresso soup? Progresso is owned by General Mills (NYSE: GIS). General Mills acquired the brand in 1996 and operates it as the primary alternative to Campbell's in the US ready-to-serve soup segment.
Is there a major independent soup brand? Amy's Kitchen is one of the largest independently owned soup brands in the United States. Founded in 1987 by the Berliner family in California, it remains privately held with estimated annual revenues around $600 million.
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Sources
1. The Campbell's Company. "Q2 Fiscal 2026 Earnings Report." March 2026. https://investor.thecampbellscompany.com 2. The Campbell's Company. "Shareholder Name Change Approval." https://www.thecampbellscompany.com/newsroom 3. General Mills. "Annual Report FY2025." https://investors.generalmills.com 4. Unilever. "Knorr Brand." https://www.unilever.com/brands 5. Amy's Kitchen. "About Amy's." https://www.amys.com/about-us 6. Pacific Foods. "About Pacific Foods." https://www.pacificfoods.com
All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com's proprietary research methodology. Last updated: April 2026.
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Brands & Companies Mentioned
The Campbell's Company
American packaged food company formerly known as Campbell Soup Company, owning Campbell's soups, Goldfish, Pepperidge Farm, Rao's Homemade, Snyder's of Hanover, and Kettle Brand, with FY2025 revenue of $9.6 billion.
4 brands in portfolio
General Mills, Inc.
American publicly traded food company producing cereals, snacks, yogurt, baking products, frozen foods, and pet food, with iconic brands including Cheerios, Betty Crocker, and Blue Buffalo.
11 brands in portfolio
Unilever plc
British consumer goods company transitioning to a pure-play HPC business. Owns Dove, Axe, Vaseline, Domestos, and 400+ personal care and home care brands sold in 190 countries.
25 brands in portfolio