Canned soup maker Campbell's beats estimates as eat-at-home trend boosts demand
Prego pasta sauce
maker
Campbell's Co
beat third-quarter sales and profit estimates on Monday, helped by strong demand for its popular canned food and soups as consumers increasingly prefer to eat at home in the face of an uncertain economy.
Fears of a potential recession and price hikes triggered by the imposition of hefty tariffs dented consumer sentiment in the U.S. and prompted people to be more judicious in their spending patterns, including trading down to cheaper brands and ditching costly dine-outs.
"Consumers are cooking at home at the highest levels since early 2020 and turning to our brands for value, quality and convenience," said Campbell's CEO Mick Beekhuizen.
The company maintained its fiscal 2025 forecast for net sales growth in the range of 6 per cent and 8 per cent.
It, however, projected annual adjusted profit per share to be at the lower end of its prior forecast range of $2.95 and $3.05, owing to weak demand for snacks.
Campbell's, which excluded tariffs from its forecast, expects a hit of between 3 cents and 5 cents per share, accounting for levies currently in place.
Volumes for the company's meals and beverages unit rose 7 per cent during the quarter ended April 27, while its snacks business reported a 5 per cent fall.
Campbell's has introduced new products such as the Milano white chocolate cookie through its
Pepperidge Farm
brand and Pop'ums, a snack hybrid combining pretzels and popcorn, to revive demand in its snacks business.
Its net sales rose 4 per cent to $2.48 billion during the quarter, compared with analysts' average estimate of $2.43 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Adjusted per-share profit of 73 cents also surpassed the estimate of 66 cents.
Shares of the company, which have fallen about 18 per cent so far this year, were flat in premarket trading.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Mint
30-06-2025
- Mint
From Mumbai's alleys to Dubai's heights: The incredible rise of entrepreneur Anis Sajan
The vice-chairman of the Danube Group, is a shining example of the 'UAE dream', which has come to fruition because of three decades of hard work. From the cramped bylanes of a Ghatkopar chawl in Mumbai to the towering skyline of Dubai, Anis Sajan's journey is a testament to resilience, foresight, and an unwavering belief in building trust, one brick at a time. Today, as vice chairman of the Danube Group, Sajan leads one of the most recognised names in the Middle East's building materials and real estate sectors. But his beginnings were humble. 'I started selling decorative lights during Diwali in our neighbourhood. Earning ₹ 300 at the time felt like a fortune,' he recalls with a smile. His early years were shaped by struggle and sacrifice. After their father passed away in 1979, his elder brother Rizwan dropped out of college to support the family. He began by making box files and eventually became a salesman in Kuwait. After the Gulf War, he moved to Dubai in 1993 and laid the foundation for the Danube Group with a small trading business focussed on Building Materials. 'My brother is my mentor and my biggest inspiration,' says Sajan. 'But he didn't hand me anything on a plate. I had to earn every bit of my place.' And he did. Sajan quickly distinguished himself with a sharp instinct for spotting market gaps. One pivotal moment came with the introduction of shattaf (jet sprays) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is a basic necessity in the Arab and Asian cultures. Every household in these countries ensures that the first thing they install is a shattaf. 'I saw an opportunity and I capitalized on it,' he explains. This Shattaf gave wings to the brand Milano, which is now the heart of Danube Building Materials. Today, Danube sells over 100,000 jet sprays a month. It was a turning point that marked Sajan not just as a salesman but as a problem-solver. Today the company has evolved into a diversified empire, spanning sanitaryware, hardware, electricals, furniture, and real estate. This expansion mirrors the broader transformation of the UAE, where Danube has become a trusted name. For Sajan, however, success isn't just about scale. It's about relationships. 'In construction, things can go wrong. But when customers call, we pick up. Even if there's no immediate solution, we respond. That's how trust is built and maintained,' he explains. This is more than a philosophy. It is a personal ethic. 'My brother still visits project sites every Saturday, even in the 50-degree heat. That's the kind of leadership we believe in—hands-on and transparent.' The real estate market experienced major booms from 2001 to 2007 and again in the past five years, during which the building materials sector remained Sajan's stronghold, capturing 25% of the Middle East market. Danube, now the leading brand in building materials, has thrived in Dubai's free port environment, attracting global buyers with the flexibility of mixed container shipments. Danube Properties, the Group's real estate arm, has seen consistent growth, and India is becoming a core part of its strategy. Offices have opened in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Gurugram, and Kochi. 'We've seen a sharp increase in Indian investors looking to Dubai not just as a holiday destination but as a second home and a smart investment hub,' says Sajan. The Group's standout 1% monthly payment plan has made luxury real estate accessible to thousands. 'It's not just a catchy idea—it's a serious financial solution. People don't just dream of owning property in Dubai now; they actually can,' he explains. Their projects reflect this vision: fully furnished, centrally located homes with over 50 lifestyle amenities, including doctor-on-call and nanny services. 'Our goal is to create value—emotional, functional, and financial. And this model has struck a real chord, especially with Indian professionals, NRIs, and entrepreneurs.' Danube's growth has also been driven by keen market insight. Sajan notes that today's buyers seek smart layouts, flexible payment models, and community-centric living spaces. The end-user segment is expanding, particularly among families. As new supply stabilises prices, the Dubai real estate market is expected to remain strong until at least Q4 of 2026. 'We're also seeing growing interest from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India. There's a sense of aspiration, and Dubai meets those aspirations with returns, security, and lifestyle.' Marketing has also been a cornerstone in Danube's success. 'We believe in visibility. From hoardings across Mumbai to branding on flights and major cricket events—if you're not seen, you're not sold,' Sajan says plainly. He adds, 'The campaign with Kartik Aaryan wasn't just marketing. Danube Hai Na was our way of telling Indian buyers: we've got you covered.' This bold marketing approach, combined with reliable execution, has created a brand that resonates across borders. Even with decades of experience behind him, Sajan shows no signs of slowing down. With both his sons now actively involved in the sanitary business—Azhar Sajan, founder of Casa Milano, catering to the luxury and elite segment, and Sahil Sajan, Director of Milano, focused on offering premium sanitary solutions to the masses, Danube is preparing for its next chapter. 'The journey is far from over,' he says. 'In fact, it's just beginning. The most important thing is to stay grounded, learn from every experience, and never, ever break the client's trust. That's how you build something that truly lasts.' 'We are also seeing growing interest from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India. There's a sense of aspiration, and Dubai meets those aspirations with returns, security, and lifestyle," said Anis Sajan, vice chairman of the Danube Group

Mint
09-06-2025
- Mint
The canned-food aisle is getting squeezed by rising steel tariffs
Soup, black beans and sliced pineapple could all soon become more expensive because of one particular reason: their cans. Cans used for food require tin-coated, ultrathin sheet steel made from molten iron. Not much is produced in the U.S., where domestic producers have been scaling back production for years. The Trump administration's new 50% duty on imported steel could increase store prices for items in steel cans by 9% to 15%, according to the Consumer Brands Association, a trade group whose members include Campbell's, Hormel Foods and Del Monte Foods. At that rate, the price of a can of vegetables costing $2 could increase by 18 cents to 30 cents. 'The American consumer is going to pay more for their cans," said Dan Dietrich, vice president for strategy at Trivium Packaging. President Trump on June 4 doubled the previous 25% tariffs on imported steel, aiming to increase demand for domestic steel by making cheaper, foreign-made metal more expensive. Tariffs are likely to drive up prices for domestic-made steel, too, as U.S. producers raise their own prices. Can manufacturers say they will continue to buy lots of imported tin-coated steel, known as tin-plate—because there isn't enough of it made in the U.S. to supply them. 'I would love nothing more than to allocate more purchases to the United States, but the overall production capacity is not there," said Robert Gatz, general manager of Can Corp. of America, a Pennsylvania-based maker of food cans. Can Corp. produces about one billion food cans annually and specializes in cans for tomatoes. Gatz said the company buys about 12% of its tin-plate from domestic steel mills. Can manufacturers estimate that about three-quarters of tin-plate consumed in the U.S. is foreign-made, with much of it coming from Europe and Canada. Nearly 1.5 million tons of tin-plate were imported last year, about 37% more than in 2015, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Tin-plate is made with steel derived from molten iron, but most steel in the U.S. is now made from melted scrap, and that doesn't measure up to the can industry's exacting quality standards. Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel continues to produce tin-plate but has reduced its production volume in recent years. Cleveland-Cliffs, another major steelmaker, no longer produces tin-plate after closing its Weirton, mill last year. Cliffs Chief Executive Lourenco Goncalves said he has no plans to restart Weirton, though he had blamed the plant's closing on a lack of tariffs on imported tin-plate. 'It's done. When the horse leaves the barn, the horse does not come back to the barn," Goncalves told reporters last week. The 25% steel tariff imposed in March by the Trump administration raised the cost of producing filled cans by about 7% to 8%, can companies said. They anticipate that doubling the duty on tin-plate to 50% will boost costs by at least 14%. That higher price will hit canned-food producers. South Carolina-based McCall Farms sells canned green beans, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes and other vegetables grown in the South. Rising expenses for labor and raw vegetables have already driven up production costs over the past five years, said Thomas Hunter, McCall Farms' co-president. 'The biggest concern we have is that these canned vegetables start getting to a point where the consumers are not willing to purchase them any more," Hunter said. Cans are prized for enabling long shelf lives for vegetables, fruit and other ready-to-eat foods, able to keep for years without spoiling. But can manufacturers worry that higher can costs will discourage their use. Cans on a conveyor belt. Can companies say not enough tin-coated steel is made in the U.S. to meet their needs. The Consumer Brands Association said as many as 20,000 U.S. jobs in food-can manufacturing could be at risk if the tariff on tin-plate causes consumers to shy away from higher-priced canned goods and food companies migrate to alternative packaging. 'We're getting to the tipping point with many customers," said Rick Huether, CEO of Maryland-based Independent Can Co., which produces decorative and specialty cans used for cookies, candy, coffee and popcorn. 'You're just driving them to plastic packaging." Write to Bob Tita at
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Time of India
Canned soup maker Campbell's beats estimates as eat-at-home trend boosts demand
HighlightsCampbell Soup Company exceeded third-quarter sales and profit estimates, driven by strong demand for canned food and soups as consumers opt to eat at home amid economic uncertainty. The company maintained its fiscal 2025 net sales growth forecast at 6 per cent to 8 per cent, but projected annual adjusted profit per share at the lower end of its previous forecast due to declining demand in the snacks segment. Campbell Soup Company reported a 4 per cent increase in net sales to $2.48 billion for the quarter, surpassing analysts' expectations, and introduced new snack products to stimulate demand in its snacks business. Prego pasta sauce maker Campbell's Co beat third-quarter sales and profit estimates on Monday, helped by strong demand for its popular canned food and soups as consumers increasingly prefer to eat at home in the face of an uncertain economy. Fears of a potential recession and price hikes triggered by the imposition of hefty tariffs dented consumer sentiment in the U.S. and prompted people to be more judicious in their spending patterns, including trading down to cheaper brands and ditching costly dine-outs. "Consumers are cooking at home at the highest levels since early 2020 and turning to our brands for value, quality and convenience," said Campbell's CEO Mick Beekhuizen. The company maintained its fiscal 2025 forecast for net sales growth in the range of 6 per cent and 8 per cent. It, however, projected annual adjusted profit per share to be at the lower end of its prior forecast range of $2.95 and $3.05, owing to weak demand for snacks. Campbell's, which excluded tariffs from its forecast, expects a hit of between 3 cents and 5 cents per share, accounting for levies currently in place. Volumes for the company's meals and beverages unit rose 7 per cent during the quarter ended April 27, while its snacks business reported a 5 per cent fall. Campbell's has introduced new products such as the Milano white chocolate cookie through its Pepperidge Farm brand and Pop'ums, a snack hybrid combining pretzels and popcorn, to revive demand in its snacks business. Its net sales rose 4 per cent to $2.48 billion during the quarter, compared with analysts' average estimate of $2.43 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. Adjusted per-share profit of 73 cents also surpassed the estimate of 66 cents. Shares of the company, which have fallen about 18 per cent so far this year, were flat in premarket trading.



