Campbell wants to say goodbye to the “soup” in its name. It’s not the first company to make such a change

NEW YORK — Campbell’s is ready to ditch the soup — at least its official name.

Campbell Soup Co. announced plans to change its name Tuesday at an annual investor meeting. The 155-year-old food seller, best known for its assortment of canned soups of the same name, said it would like to be known as “The Campbell’s Co.”

CEO Mark Clouse said in a statement that the “subtle but important change” will retain the company’s iconic name “while better reflecting the full breadth” of its current portfolio.

Campbell hasn’t limited itself to soups for some time. The company also owns brands like Prego sauce and Goldfish crackers, and completed its $2.7 billion acquisition of Sovos Brands, the maker of Rao’s pasta sauces, earlier this year.

Campbell’s roots date back to 1869, when it was a small New Jersey company that grew to great heights. The name “Campbell Soup Co.” was adopted in 1922, according to the company’s website.

The new name isn’t official yet. The “soup” decision still needs to be approved by shareholders in November. But the New Jersey company is far from the first to attempt such a transformation. A handful of other food companies have also changed their names over the years, often dropping mention of a specific product they were known for in favor of a shorter company name, or even just an updated logo, in hopes of emphasizing other businesses.

Manoj Thomas, a marketing professor at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, says it’s important to consider whether a new name will disrupt product recognition or deviate from the company’s core identity. But he doesn’t see those risks with Campbell, noting that the change is “unlikely to affect consumer perception” and could instead signal a “desire for expansion and growth.”

Here are some past examples.

In 2018, Dunkin’ Donuts decided to shorten its name to “Dunkin'” — which officially took effect in January 2019.

The Massachusetts-based chain had been toying with the idea for a while. And while doughnuts are still a big part of the menu, it eventually decided to change its name to reflect its growing emphasis on coffee and other beverages.

Krispy Kreme also dropped the term “doughnuts” from its company name several years later, ahead of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company’s second IPO in 2021.

According to a securities filing, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts changed its name to Krispy Kreme Inc. in May 2021. But the word “doughnuts” still prominently accompanies the Krispy Kreme name on the chain’s logo and on boxes of treats.

In 2012, Domino’s Pizza dropped the word “pizza” from its logo and storefronts. At the time, executives at the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based chain talked about expanding its menu and making other in-store updates. But its parent company is still called Domino’s Pizza Inc., the name under which the brand is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Starbucks has also gone through logo changes over the years, including shortening, and then dropping, the Seattle coffee giant’s name over the years.

In 1971, Starbucks’ original logo featured a mermaid surrounded by its then-name, “Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spices,” the company says on its website. In 1987, that mermaid was redesigned and the name around it was shortened to “Starbucks Coffee” — and in 2011, Starbucks introduced its latest logo, which features no company name at all.

Although absent from the logo, Starbucks still operates under the name “Starbucks Coffee Co.” or similar names that include the word “coffee” in many countries around the world, as subsidiaries of the larger Starbucks Corp.

KFC hasn’t used the name “Kentucky Fried Chicken” for decades. The Yum Brands-owned fast food chain shortened its name in 1991, according to Snopes.

However, taking on iconic brands can also have consequences, potentially leading to false rumors speculating about the reasons for the change. Long after shortening its name, Louisville-based KFC, for example, had to issue a press release a few years ago to combat an online rumor that it had been forced to change its name because it didn’t serve real chicken.