MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills, Inc. is making progress on efforts to simplify ingredients in its Progresso soup range, having most recently transitioned to 100% antibiotic-free chicken breast in all 36 of the brand’s chicken soup varieties. Additionally, the company has eliminated artificial colors from 60% of its soups with a goal of 100% by 2019. Other recent changes include sodium reduction in more than 40 soup varieties, as well as the addition of seven certified gluten-free soups and more vegetarian soup offerings.
“Our purpose and passion is to make great soup just like you'd make it at home,” said Ray Joncas, director of marketing at Progresso. “In an effort to continually raise our quality standards, we listen to our consumers. So when we asked our consumers what they wanted most, we found that antibiotic-free and hormone-free chicken was what they wanted most.”
General Mills said it took less than a year to make the switch to antibiotic-free, hormone-free chicken. The updated products include the brand’s most popular varieties, Chicken Noodle, Chicken Wild Rice and Chicken Dumpling. Progresso also introduced new, contemporized packaging this summer for the first time in more than a decade, unveiling brighter colors and highlighting the ingredients.
“We wanted the outside of the can to reflect the quality ingredients and delicious taste inside the can, said Karly White, senior associate marketing manager. “To convey the modern, progressive brand that Progresso stands for, we simplified the design to make it easier for people to shop, used brighter colors and emphasized the delicious soup you’ll find inside.”
