Campbell’s Reports Increased Sales as More Americans Stay Home To Cook
By cooking at home, Americans helped the Campbell's Co, boost sales for soup and broth in the last quarter.
Cash-strapped and financially anxious consumers are not dining out as much and making more meals at home. At least, that is the opinion of soup maker Campbell’s Co.
Campbell’s Thrives as Consumers Tighten Restaurant Spending
Earlier this week, Campbell’s reported rising sales of broth and condensed soup in the last quarter. According to Campbell’s CEO Mick Beekhuizen, more meals were cooked at home in Q3 2025. The last time home-cooked meals took precedence over splurging at a restaurant was in 2020.
“Consumers continue to cook at home and focus their spending on products that help them stretch their food budgets, and they’re increasingly intentional about their discretionary snack purchases,” said Beekhuizen, per AP News.
Campbell’s meals and beverages category rose 6%, with sales of Rao’s pasta sauces increasing 2%. Specifically, sales of broth grew 15% in the quarter. Net sales company-wide went up 4%, reaching $2.5 billion.
For fiscal 2025, net sales for Campbell’s are predicted to increase 6% to 8%, which does not take into account any anticipated expenses related to tariffs. To mitigate any impact from tariffs, Campbell’s is proactively negotiating with suppliers to lower costs.
The rise in home-cooked meals and the decline in dining out correspond with price increases in the past year. According to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of “food at home” rose 2% for the 12-month period that ended in April. Meanwhile, eating out cost consumers 3.9% more in the same period.
Consumers Cutting Back on Snacks and Dining Out
Sales of Campbell’s snack food group, which includes Goldfish crackers and Cape Cod potato chips, declined 5%. Referencing the downward trend, Beekhuizen told investors that consumers are looking to get the most out of their food budgets, which means cutting back on “discretionary snack purchases.”
To support Beekhuizen’s explanation, a survey conducted by consumer intelligence firm NIQ found that 42% of households are buying fewer snacks. In addition, consumers are passing on pricier name brands, like Campbell’s, and instead choosing cheaper, generic options.
In February, beverage company Pepsi, which is also behind snack brand Frito-Lay, saw a decrease in consumer demand. Globally, snack food sales were up for the company, but the sales volume of Frito-Lay-branded snacks dropped 3% in North America for the fourth quarter.
Looking for deals, consumers are flocking to stores like Dollar General. Earlier this week, the retailer released strong first-quarter earnings. Net sales grew 5.3%, while same-store sales rose 2.4%. The average amount spent at the register per customer jumped 2.7%.
