Campbell’s will oversee pretzels and Goldfish from expanded headquarters in Camden

Campbell Soup Co. on Wednesday announced a $50 million upgrade and expansion of its Camden headquarters as it consolidates the central offices of snack businesses from North Carolina and Connecticut.

The changes, expected to be completed over three years, will add about 330 positions to Campbell’s Camden offices, bringing the total jobs there to about 1,600, according to Campbell, which in December reported strong sales and earnings growth.

The jobs moving from Charlotte, N.C., are with Snyder’s-Lance Inc., which Campbell bought for $6 billion in 2018. Snyder’s has a major pretzel bakery and other operations in Hanover, Pa., that won’t be affected by the centralization in Camden.

Especially noteworthy is the move of Pepperidge Farm Inc. headquarters jobs from Norwalk, Conn. Campbell bought that company, which was founded in 1937, more than 60 years ago, but until now kept its headquarters separate from the main offices in Camden, where Campbell has been based for more than 150 years.

Campbell’s president and chief executive Mark Clouse said that since the Snyder’s-Lance acquisition the company had wanted to bring the two parts of its snack business together in one place. COVID-19 delayed the move.

“Imagine trying to coordinate from North Carolina to Norwalk to Camden to Hanover, Pa. It’s a real leadership challenge to really build that culture and identity the way that you want to,” Clouse said.

Campbell’s $8.6 billion in annual revenues are split fairly evenly between its snack division and what it calls meals and beverages.

The snack division, in addition to Snyder’s pretzels and Lance cracker sandwiches, includes Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps, Kettle and Cape Cod potato chips, and Late July snacks. Pepperidge Farm products include cookies, Goldfish crackers, and breads.

Campbell’s meals and beverages division makes not just the soups that gave the company its name, but also V-8 juices, Prego pasta sauces, Swanson broth, Pace salsas, and Pacific organic soups.

Clouse, who became Campbell’s CEO in January 2019, said having the snack businesses on the same campus as the rest of the company will help the company hire and retain people.

“It’s going to bring a level of energy to Camden. It’s going to create career opportunities that are broader than just one division. Now you’ve got the ability to move talent between the organizations,” he said.

The project, aided by an unspecified amount of state tax incentives, entails upgrading existing space and constructing new buildings, including a new campus center and a snacks research and development center and pilot plant.

Eventually having one snack headquarters is expected to save Campbell $10 million a year.

Campbell said it has plans to expand its Pepperidge Farm bakery in Bloomfield, Conn., where nearly 400 work. Snyder’s-Lance still has a factory and distribution center in Pineville, N.C., that employ 1,400. The bakeries there will continue to operate.

The last major change on Campbell’s Camden campus — which opened in 1957 — was the construction of an employee center, which opened in 2010. The project helped spur numerous headquarter moves to Camden, where tax breaks were available. Those moves included Subaru of America.

Campbell’s headquarters is using a hybrid workplace model, with three days in the office and two being worked virtually, Clouse said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy welcomed the news that Campbell was bringing jobs to Camden.

“Campbell is an iconic New Jersey company, and I’m pleased with their commitment to invest and grow in our state,” Murphy said in a news release. “This plan will create jobs, stimulate economic development, and strengthen Campbell’s roots in Camden where their efforts have played an essential role in the continued transformation of the city.”