Campbell's Announces Its First Kosher Soup; Vegetarian Vegetable Soup Receives Kosher Certification from the Orthodox Union.

To download high-resolution, print-ready JPEG images, click on the thumbnail image above.

WARNING: these images are

very large (800K+)

Click here for caption

Photo Editors/Business Editors

NOTE TO MEDIA: Multimedia assets available

A photo is available at URL:

http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.091603/bb13

CAMDEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 2003

Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) announced today that Campbell's(R) condensed Vegetarian Vegetable Soup is now certified kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU). The first Campbell's soup to receive OU certification, Vegetarian Vegetable is one of the brand's "Alphabet" soup varieties and a popular favorite for people of all ages. Other Campbell brands with OU kosher certification include most Pepperidge Farm(R) cookies and Godiva(R) chocolates.

"Offering a kosher soup is another important step toward meeting the rising expectations of our consumers," says Jeremy J. Fingerman, President of Campbell's U.S. Soup division. "As a company, we are trying many new things to appeal to a broader base of consumers." Fingerman adds, "The coveted OU symbol is one of the best-known trademarks in the world. It is a sign of quality as well as kosher certification. With it, we are appealing to an even greater number of consumers and offering them real satisfaction, real fast - with a choice that they never had before, a kosher soup with the Campbell's name."

To produce its first kosher soup, Campbell worked closely with experts at the Orthodox Union to "kosherize" an entire soup production line in its Maxton, North Carolina facilities. This ambitious undertaking required a production line to be completely shut down so that all equipment and utensils could be specially cleaned and certified under the watchful eyes of OU officials.

The first cans of Vegetarian Vegetable soup bearing the OU symbol rolled off the production line at the end of August. They will begin to appear on store shelves in the Northeastern part of the United States by late September with national distribution expected by December. The new certified kosher product will have a "use by" date of August 20, 2005 and beyond.

Based upon consumer reception of its first kosher soup, Campbell will consider working with the OU to seek kosher certification for other soup varieties. In the meantime, the company is putting a comprehensive marketing effort behind the Vegetarian Vegetable announcement to maximize exposure to kosher-seeking consumers. Campbell will advertise the new kosher certification in trade and consumer publications regionally and nationally, participate in kosher trade shows and implement a direct marketing/sampling campaign later this year.

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high quality soup, sauce, beverage, biscuit, confectionery and prepared food products. The company owns a portfolio of more than 20 market-leading businesses each with more than $100 million in sales. For more information on the company, visit Campbell's website on the Internet at www.campbellsoup.com.

Note: A photo is available at URL:

http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.091603/bb13