The Campbell's Mom Bloggers visit Campbell's Kitchen and get to video tape a live demonstration of Campbell's Chef Tom cooking up chicken noodle soup!
I was very excited to have been invited as one of the Campbell's Mom Bloggers on an all expenses paid trip to visit the Campbell Soup Company's headquarters in Camden, NJ last month (I blogged about our arrival, here) when (thanks to the good folks at Weber Shandwick) they opened their doors, for the first time to bloggers, like me:
Table4Five.net
ThisMamaCooks.com
MomAdvice.com
Busymom.net
FromDatesToDiapers.com
BecauseISaidSo.com
MomToTheScreamingMasses.com
MomOf3Girls.net
Chicagonista.com
Today, I would love to round out my recap on the inner-workings of the Campbell Soup Company (that's me standing to the left of Chef Tom) and answer reader questions, by giving you more information on their new lower sodium kid soups.
I'm a couple of weeks late, in doing this (I hate it when life happens, don't you?) but, I'm glad I waited to gather my thoughts, because the Campells Soup Company has put together something really special for me...to give...to you!
Big deal? Absolutely! Unlike some major brands, the Campbells Soup Company encouraged all of the mom bloggers to take all the pictures and video we wanted, because they're cool like that!
The Campells Soup Company Divas (left to right) Cathy Spivak (supports sauces, beverages, cookbooks & makes a mean smoothie!) Juli Sloves (Senior Manager, Nutrition & Wellness Communications & all around smart lady who knows EVERYTHING about Campbell's brands!) and Patricia Montgomery (RD, Global Nutrition and Health who helped answer some pretty tough momblogger questions and looks quite fetching) aaand, they ALL look quite fetching in green!
It was very clear to me (and, I feel it safe to say that the other mom bloggers in attendance will agree) that everyone at Campbells Soup Company really love what they do and work very hard at promoting their brand as honestly and real, as possible.
Did you know that they are a founding member of the Better Business Bureau? Me, either.
[Click here to learn more about Campbell's commitment to corporate governance]
Mmmm...mmmm...it's all good, even though I failed the taste test and could not tell the difference between the lower sodium and Campbells Kid Soups.
Yes, their kid soups are actually kid-tested and kid-approved by, you know, real kids (like mine) and nutrition and value are big concerns, too. Campbell has reformulated and expanded its line of soups offered in schools, reduced the price of its Healthy Request soups and reformulated Pepperidge Farm snacks served in schools to meet the standards outlined by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation - a partnership between the William J. Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association.
In fact, Campbell was the first soup manufacturer to join the Alliance, and is the only Foodservice manufacturer that offers a full line of school wellness soups for kids.
[Click here to view product information on any Campbell product]
Now onto some reader questions I had, before the trip.
Question from Fiona Charles: please ask this in regards to Pepperidge Farm croutons - i love the zesty italian BUT I never see them in my local acme OR stop and shop???
Campbell's Juli Sloves: Ask the store mananger, if you don't see your favorite Campbell's product on the shelf.
Fiona, I've done this with specialty items that my parents wanted to see on the international foods aisle. It works!
Question from mannequin: Can they not make soup with a larger shelf life?
Campbell's Patricia Montgomery: The shelf life of unopened Campbell canned products varies from 1 to 2 years. In order to experience optimal color, flavor, aroma and texture the product should be consumed prior to the end of the month displayed on the product.
mannequin, I got the impression that there's really nothing wrong with keeping the soup, longer (if unopened) and since you mentioned that your husband seems to be stocking up enough for an emergency (of HUGE porportions) there's a point where taste doesn't become much of an issue, right :)
Question from JayMonster: Do they have any further plans to reduce these sodium levels fruther? Or are they satisfied now they slipped under the mandated "healthy" limit?
Campbell's Patricia Montgomery: Campell's reduced the sodium in 12 Kids soups to meet the criteria for "healthy" foods. This is the second time that Campbell's focused its efforts on its condensed kids varities and will now bring the total number of reduced and lower sodium to more than 85 in the company's profile. It becomes of an issue of taste preference.
JayMonster, we got a chance to go through the "taste-testing" process (which I failed, because my taste buds are apparently shot) but, I did find a flavor difference in the Princess Soup and had trouble believing they could go any lower, without compromising taste.
Not enough?
[Click here to Contact Campbells -- trust me, they are very approachable!]
Ready to dine with the Campbells Soup Team!
FINAL VERDICT: Campbell Soup Company treated all of us with the greatest respect and admiration -- honestly, they were all, like...wow...being a mom is hard...then, blogging must be real hard. It is, for me. But, not today. Campbell's is one class act of a corporation. Campbell's website is chock-filled with information about their products and business practices. Not only are they trying to reach out to mom bloggers (because, they know that I am a consumer, who is more than willing to talk about the stuff I like, or quesiton about the stuff I buy for my family) Campbell's is also reaching out to moms, in asking them about their families' nutritional and fundamental needs, on a global scale.
[Click here to see the Campbell products sold in 120 countries]
My family has been a Campbell's Soup consumer for years and my kids love coming home from school and eating a hot bowl of soup (especially, at this time of year) which is very comforting to me -- even though my Aunt would force feed me cream of mushroom soup, which I don't like, no matter who manufactures it -- and rest assured, Campbells Soup Company is doing everything in their power to ensure that I continue to keep their soup in my pantry!
Want some?
Campbells Blogger Giveaway: The Campbells Soup Team at Weber Shandwick are giving me the opportunity to help you warm-up any lunch, by sending one (1) very lucky reader a 24-can supply of Campbell's Chicken & Stars kids soup (reduced sodium) and a Campbell's thermos, courtesy of Campbells Soup Company!
Because, we roll like that!
[Retail Value: $46.00]
FIND IT HERE: http://www.campbellssoup.com
Do you have a favorite Campbell's soup memory? Did this review help you learn something new about Campbell Soup Company? Feel free to leave your thoughts and/or opinions in the comments section.
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[Read more posts about the event: Campbell's Mom Bloggers]
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