September 16, 2003

The Kosher World Expands Its Horizons As Campbell’s Vegetarian Vegetable Soup Receives OU Certification

In a major development in the ever-expanding universe of kosher food, the Orthodox Union and the Campbell Soup Company jointly announced today that Campbell’s condensed Vegetarian Vegetable Soup is now certified kosher by the OU, the world’s best-known kosher trademark.

“With its many brands and great success, the Campbell’s name has an iconic quality in the marketplace,” declared Rabbi Menachem Genack, the head of the OU Kashrut Division. “For some time, other Campbell’s products, including many Pepperidge Farm cookies and Godiva chocolates, have been OU certified. We have always looked forward to the day when soup, the flagship product of the company, would also be available to kosher consumers. That time has now come. We regard Campbell’s Vegetarian Vegetable Soup as one of the most significant additions to the list of 275,000 products already certified by the OU.”

Rabbi Genack added that in the two decades since he joined the OU Kashrut division, there has been a sea change in the products that are certified as kosher. “The kosher marketplace has expanded to such a degree that manufacturers welcome the opportunity to receive OU certification, and are willing to make the investment necessary to meet the OU’s demanding standards.”

The Campbell’s decision reflects this changing marketplace.

“Offering a kosher soup is another important step toward meeting the rising expectations of our consumers,” said 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.” Mr. Fingerman added, “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’s worked closely with experts at the Orthodox Union -- led by Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator at the Orthodox Union and Rabbi Nosson Neuberger who coordinated the on-site project -- to kosherize an entire soup line in its Maxton, North Carolina production facilities. This ambitious undertaking required a production line to be completely shut down so that all equipment and utensils could be specially cleaned, purged and certified under the watchful eyes of the 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 mid-September with national distribution expected in December.

Campbell’s will advertise the new kosher certification in trade and consumer publications regionally and nationally, participate in kosher trade shows and enact a direct marketing/sampling campaign later this year. The OU will also spread the news.

Officials of the OU and Campbell’s Soup raise a toast at Campbell’s headquarters in Camden, NJ following the signing of the contract between the two organizations

From Campbell’s, left to right, front row: Larry McWilliams, President, North America Soup; David McNair, Senior Vice President, Global Research and Development/Quality Assurance; Jeremy J. Fingerman, President, Campbell’s U.S. Soup Division. Rear, from the OU: Rabbi Nosson Neuberger, who coordinated the on-site project at the Campbell’s plant in North Carolina; Rabbi Moshe Elefant, Executive Rabbinic Coordinator, OU Kashrut Division; Rabbi Menachem Genack, Rabbinic Administrator, OU Kashrut Division; Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, OU Executive Vice President; Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator.

The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision label, the , is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 275,000 products manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.

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