Campbell Soup Company and Food Bank of South Jersey Partner for Second Year on “Just Peachy” Salsa

CAMDEN, N.J., August 28, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) and the Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) are rolling out the second season of Just Peachy salsa, a delicious salsa made from New Jersey peaches. The salsa brought in nearly $100,000 in revenue for the Food Bank of South Jersey last year and is now a sustainable source of revenue for the Food Bank’s hunger relief programs.

The unique story of Just Peachy came about when the Food Bank of South Jersey learned that nearly a ton of undersized and slightly blemished peaches that were not retail-quality were headed for the landfill at a considerable cost to the NJ peach farmers. The Food Bank of South Jersey was able to acquire these peaches for pennies on the dollar and turned to Campbell to develop and produce a shelf-stable product that would create revenue for the Food Bank.

Campbell’s culinary and product development teams created the recipe for the popular salsa, and the company is donating manufacturing and packaging costs while engaging hundreds of employee volunteers to box and pack the jars to ready them for distribution.

“This is truly a triple bottom line project. It’s a win for local farmers, a win for the community and a win for the Food Bank of South Jersey,” said Val Traore, CEO of the Food Bank of South Jersey. “The revenue generated from this program will help fund our hunger relief programs and support the growing food insecure population in South Jersey, which is currently at more than 170,000 people, including 57,000 children.”

"This is a great example of how Campbell can engage in public-private partnerships that can truly make a difference in the community by leveraging our expertise and activating our resources and the skills of our employees,” said Dave Stangis, Vice President, Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility for Campbell Soup Company. “Campbell is pleased to advance this unique program that benefits our neighbors, as well as our long-time community partner, the Food Bank of South Jersey.”

The idea for this program started more than a year ago and brings together the local agriculture community, the Food Bank of South Jersey and Campbell. By converting one of South Jersey’s best crops to a shelf-stable product, this program saves farmers landfill costs and provides the Food Bank with a model for sustainable revenue. New Jersey produces more than 163 million peaches annually, making it the fourth largest producer of peach crops behind Georgia, South Carolina and California.

Anthony Yula of Summit City Farms in Glassboro, a 500-acre peach and nectarine farm, calls the destruction of the peaches “the saddest thing for us to see.”  Owned and founded by the DeEugenio family, the farm produces about 4.3 million pounds of peaches each year. “This project is fantastic for growers,” said Yula. “What farmers most want is for our produce to be enjoyed.”

The recipe for Just Peachy salsa uses nearly half a pound of fresh peaches per jar and also includes crushed tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, cilantro and garlic.

Just Peachy salsa production began in Camden on August 20th. More than 52,000 jars of salsa will be prepared over four production days. Just Peachy will be available at some Shop-Rites in South Jersey, local Farmers Markets, and Sharrott Winery.  For information on where to purchase Just Peachy salsa, go to www.foodbanksj.org or call 856-662-4884. 

Campbell suppliers Morton Salt, Sensient, Sun Brite, Nature’s Quality, Mizkan Americas Inc., Kalsec and The Garlic Company donated ingredients. Owens Illinois, International Paper and Silgan donated packaging materials.

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company is a manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup and sauces, snacks and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including “Campbell’s,” “Pepperidge Farm,” “Arnott’s,” “V8,” “Bolthouse Farms,” “Plum Organics” and “Kjeldsens.” Through its corporate social responsibility program, the company strives to make a positive impact in the workplace, in the marketplace and in the communities in which it operates. Campbell is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. For more information, visit www.campbellsoupcompany.com or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo.

About the Food Bank of South Jersey

The Food Bank of South Jersey is a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit food distribution center that provides perishable and shelf stable food to more than 170,000 adults, seniors and children that are at risk of going hungry in South Jersey. The largest and only nonprofit food distribution center devoted entirely to South Jersey, the Food Bank of South Jersey has distributed approximately 10 million pounds of food annually. For more information, please visit: http://www.foodbanksj.org