Campbell Soup closing Sacramento plant cutting 700 jobs

mercurynews.com ^ | 9/27/12 | Candice Choi and Michelle Chapman

[Justaham]

Campbell Soup is closing two U.S. plants and cutting more than 700 jobs as it looks to trim costs amid declining consumption of its canned soups.

The world's largest soup maker said Thursday that it will close its plant in Sacramento that has about 700 full-time workers. The plant, which makes soups, sauces and beverages, was built in 1947 and is the company's oldest in the country. That also means it has the highest production costs of Campbell's four U.S. soup plants.

Campbell also plans to shutter a spice plant in South Plainfield, N.J. that has 27 employees. Production will be shifted to the company's other spice plant in Milwaukee.

Employees at the two closing plants were notified that there would be a meeting at 6 a.m. local time Thursday; about 400 workers showed up in California, where they were told of the closure.

"It's always difficult, even when there's a business case that is compelling," said Anthony Sanzio, a Campbell spokesman. "You're dealing with people, and this is going to impact 700 employees who've worked together closely for many years."

CEO Denise Morrison, who was been on the job for about a year, was not present at the meeting.

[Sunshine Sister]

I have a favorite recipe involving pork chops, Minute rice and Cream of Mushroom Soup. Dang. It’d going down the drain!

[Charles Martel]

Autumn of Recovery IV.

[OrangeHoof]

If soup can’t make money in this economy, what can?

[Sunshine Sister]

It’s

[rod1]

Zero’s laser beam on jobs again.

[workerbee]

Campbells AND Pepsi lost ME when the word came out that they’d been paying some macabre outfit for flavor experiments using aborted fetal kidney tissue.

Gotta say, that sounds very urban-legendy. Got any links?

[Tuanedge]

I don’t recall buying any in quite some time, because it is so expensive. But generic replacements are crap.

The last time I had a need for cream of mushroom soup, it was cheaper to buy the mushrooms (on sale) and add half and half and a pinch of chicken bouillon, then it was to buy the soup...and I ended up with double the quantity.

Sorry, Campbells.

[Sacajaweau]

It was really the only "convenience" soup around in the 60's. Occasionally we had Liptons or Mrs. Grass. Soup and sandwich....day after day....week after week....year after year....and milk....and peaches or pears.

Had a client this year that had a chicken farm (raised for eggs) back then....4000 chickens. She said they sold 2000 off every year and got new ones. They sold the "old" chicks to Campbells. It was a standing order for years.

[1_Rain_Drop]

I stopped buying Campbell soup when I found out they were catering to muslims (in Canada). I think this happened two years ago.

[Grams A]

Campbell soup is AWFUL now.”

I so agree. But it is not just Campbell’s soup. They are screwing with everything that comes in a can. I don’t want low sodium, low fat or low anything. I ate Campbell’s Tomato and Chicken Noodle when I was a kid 60 years ago and my mom put Cream of Mushroom of anything that didn’t move and it was great. I just quit buying canned anything and have gone back to making it from scratch.

Many years ago I worked for a large corporation. Campbell’s owed us a chunk of money. The dork in charge of collections wrote them a blistering letter and then added as a P.S. “In spite of the fact that you owe my employer a lot of money, I personally think Campbell’s Soup is really mmmmmm good.” He was fired when his boss saw the letter after it had gone out, but I still remember it and think it’s funny.

[Gator113]

Sad, but this is all part of Obama’s “transformed” America.

Campbell Soup is about the only canned soup we buy. I was raised on that stuff in the 50’s.

Moochelle should be happy, there is quite a bit of salt in Campbell soup.

Oh well, no problem... these folks can always get themselves one of those Obama “shovel ready jobs” that HE PROMISED.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Prices on all Cambells Soups are up significantly - some are twice what they were just a few years ago.”

So has Kraft Mac and cheese.

[theDentist]

THANKS OBAMA, you f******* ********!!

[ilovesarah2012]

Ever since they went halal, I avoid buying Campbell’s.

[Sacajaweau]

I’ve been getting my soups at aldis...Not bad..It’s the convenience.

[SevenofNine]

Yeah get this you could deluted the Campbell chicken noodle soup with more water my mom used to do that

That best part especially if you are sick with cold or flu

I love that chicken broth

[steve86]

Guy I know, both husband and wife across the street losing their jobs @Sacramento plant. Not young and is going to be tough.

[EricT.]

My grandmother worked there in the 60’s.

[Mr. K]

mmmmmmmMMMmm grilled cheese and campbells tomato soup

I have about a few dozen recipes all based on their tomato soup and/or mushroom soup

I am usually adding this and that and making a meal out of it

Try a can of tomato and some steak- cube the steak into half inch pieces and boil it in the soup until it becomes soft (slow simmer- almost 2 hours) use 2 cans of water not one- add a spoon of sugar and a half cup of barley a half hour before it is done- add a can of peas 5 minutes before serving... mushrooms are good in it too

delish

I could write a book with campbells soup recipes- also have CASES of it stocked up for when the SHTF

[Mr. K]

i think they reduced sugar too- i know they used to add a bit (tomatoes are sweet for 15 minutes after you cook them- add a small spoon of suger to mimic that)

makes a big improvement