It's official, these cans have been canned -- some of your favorite soups are no longer available for purchase. Companies don't always offer reasons for canceling customers' go-to products, but when they do, it can soften the blow. Whether the discontinuation was recent or occurred decades ago, the wound still stings for many. The origins of canned soups date back to the late 19th century, when Joseph A. Campbell began selling myriad fruits, vegetables, and meats in metal tins. Though Campbell's Soup Company began operating around 1869, it wasn't until 1895 that the entity would introduce a first-of-its-kind canned soup product known as the New Jersey Beefsteak Tomato Soup.Though it disappeared for many years, it would ultimately make a return. Not all soups are so lucky.
Many products have been discontinued, whether due to lack of interest, limited stock, or another driving factor. Some were nutritious, while others were among the unhealthiest canned soups around. Some became products of popular distaste, while others quickly gathered cult-like followings after their disappearance. Customers even write to brands, begging for their favorite soups to return to the shelves. But these cries are often met with blunt obstinance. Revivals like the Beefsteak Tomato Soup happen from time to time, garnering favor amongst canned soup fans. But once a soup goes, it's usually gone for good. Here are 11 canned soups you'll never buy again — not because you don't want to but because you can't.
Read more: 6 Canned Meats You Should Buy And 6 You Shouldn't
Heinz Cream Of Tomato Soup With A Kick Of Chilli
When history lets you down, you don't forget. Heinz began serving its iconic Cream of Tomato soup in the U.K. in 1910. After World War II, it gained worldwide renown through the ease of manufacturing and distribution. In typical Heinz style, a variety of flavors comprise the everchanging menu of Cream of Tomato soups. In recent decades in the U.K., one variation became a nationwide hit. The Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup with a Kick of Chili offers a blend of homey, savory, and slightly spicy flavors, andwon over customers with its "familiar taste and texture" and "perfectly weighted chili heat." Though Heinz no longer produces it, the decision to discontinue this version of its signature soup came as a blow to some hardcore fans.
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The news broke via a November 2023 reply to a post from Heinz on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating, "It's sad when a favourite disappears, we will pass on your comments to our Team. Sorry we do not have any left." The author of the original post described the Heinz team member who decided to remove this popular item as a "monster" and demanded to know who they were. While they were seeking a truce with their foe, the sentiment alone exemplifies the customer's passion for this product.
Campbell's Mock Turtle Soup
Turtle soup might sound like a meal from a Dr. Seuss book, but it makes appearances in the real world too. The earliest record of this delicacy dates back centuries to when travelers and navigators harvested these reptiles from islands and local shores to eat. When times or money were scarce, people would eat mock turtle soup, more aptly described as a stew made from a calf's head. In fact, Abraham Lincoln ate it at his first inauguration, likely due to the dearth of resources in the previous years.
Campbell's describes its Mock Turtle Soup in advertisem*ntsas a recipe that wasn't commonly made at home. It contained tomatoes, celery, fresh herbs, sherry, and chunks of meat in a smooth and stewy base. The meat wasn't turtle but rather came from a calf's head, following a distinct process to remove it. The skull had to be opened and the brains extracted before themeat could be boiled until tender. People enjoyed this soup for many years until it was ultimately discontinued sometime before 1960. It may be gone, but if it had stuck around for a little while longer, we might have seen it in an Andy Warhol print.
Campbell's Chicken Verde Soup
Campbell's soup is a staple in many pantries around the world and is famous for its continued presence. Unfortunately, Campbell's Chicken Verde Soup fell out of production sometime around 2008. This item seemed to be a fan favorite due in no small part to the plethora of copycat recipes available. One superfan was so disappointed about the disappearance of their favorite Campbell's Chicken Verde Soup that they wrote to the company to ask if it would bring the soup back. To their dismay, the customer received unfortunate news the soup had been discontinued. However, Campbell's sent over a recipe with instructions to make it at home.
A derivative of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup, this variation offered a similar hearty base with the addition of cumin, cilantro, garlic, chili, and peppers. While not one of the original soups, the Chicken Verde version fit in well with its canned counterparts at one point in time. Its welcoming flavors embraced the core of what makes good chicken soup while highlighting the essence of spice and taste. It will continue to live in our memories, though it has long since left our pantries.
Campbell's Oyster Stew
If you don't live near the seaside, your only source of seafood may be a can of oyster stew. Campbell's has many great feats in its storied history, and among them is the company's acclaimed Campbell's Oyster Stew, made with a mix of oysters, cream or milk, butter, and a blend of spices and seasonings. This savory treat was a predominant hit in the 1960s, and even Andy Warhol turned the seafood soup into a pop art legacy.
Customers seem tosay Campbell's discontinued it due to falling demand. In a September 2012 post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the company addressed any uncertainty as to whether the canned soup was gone by stating, "Sorry, but our Condensed Oyster Stew is discontinued." The company offered no insight into why it made this decision but simply provided a resource for finding new soup choices from its condensed line. While Campbell's version is no longer in production, you can still make oyster stew at home if you have the ingredients. And if you're lucky enough to live by the beach, you may be able to wrangle up an extra fresh soup.
Amy's Tuscan Bean And Rice Soup
When you think of Amy's, you probably think of homestyle cooking and kitchen vibes. Since 1987, Amy's has been a mainstay in frozen or prepackaged meals, including canned foods. Amy's has a variety of canned soup options, with over 20 to choose from in the non-dairy or vegan section. The list includes choices like Fire Roasted Southwestern Vegetable Soup, Indian Curried Lentil Soup, and Minestrone Soup. One item you won't see on the list though, is Amy's Tuscan Bean and Rice Soup.
This blend of veggies succinctly highlighted Amy's brand with its hearty composition and unwavering quality. Reports show that Red Bean and Vegetable Soup replaced the Tuscan Bean and Rice Soup; it contains a medley of different vegetables and removes the rice entirely. While it's still a great option if you're looking for a nutritious vegan or vegetarian soup, you may feel like you're missing out if you were a fan of the latter.
Pepperidge Farm Hunter's Soup
You may know it more for its biscuits and bread, but Pepperidge Farm has been serving soup in tandem since the 1960s. An article in The Daily Times from Mamaroneck, NY, highlighted the introduction of canned soup with a piece that focused on the value of Pepperidge Farm over other brands. "These are not run-of-the-mill soups, so they cost a little more than many others. To a soup-lover, money means little if a truly fine soup is purchased." Indeed, money is nothing to a canned soup connoisseur, but what will money buy you when your favorite soup no longer exists?
Pepperidge Farm Hunter's Soup rose to fame for its lavishness and hearty servings. It was a standalone item, not meant to be mixed with water for serving. One tin only had two servings, but it was ready to eat anytime and anywhere. A 1967 ad for Hunter's Soup displayed it boasting both turkey and beef, which made it stand out from the rest. It's hard to say when it went out of production, but as of today, you can no longer find the soup in stores.
Heinz Kidney Soup
Made from offal, this canned soup was a delight throughout many people's childhoods. While you can't find Heinz Kidney Soup on grocery store shelves these days, you can still make it at home. All you need are kidneys, meat stock, oil, and a variety of veggies. Still, unless you're a skilled home chef, your dish may not stack up to the store-bought soup. Heinz Kidney Soup was discontinued over four decades ago and has remained off the shelves to this day. There is no record of Heinz indicating why it discontinued the item, but the company has interacted with people about it.
Heinz is known for selling high-quality long-lasting products, so well known, in fact, that one customer donated a 45-year-old tin of Heinz Kidney Soup to the Cardiff Foodbank. The foodbank staff noted that although they were grateful for the donation, they could not accept the canned item as it was several decades beyond its best-by date. When they posted a photo of the soup on social media and declared it a record, Heinz was quick to reply that the soup can shouldn't be in a donation box; it should be in a museum. Imagine loving a soup so much that you keep it for half a century, pray you don't eat it, and then give it away to charity one day.
Campbell's Black Bean Condensed Soup
Campbell's condensed soups have changed a bit over the years, and the consistency has become less solid over time. The Black Bean Condensed Soup is no exception. Some fans of the former products voice distaste that the soups no longer look, feel, or taste like they once did. Campbell's allegedly discontinued its Black Bean Condensed Soup sometime between 2000 and 2010, though the exact time frame is unknown. While customers note that the smoother texture is likely due to the cooking agents added to the tin to speed up the prep time, they also acknowledge that it doesn't taste the same anymore. The same could be said for almost any condensed soup that has withstood the test of time.
Though the historic Black Bean Soup dates back many decades, its discontinuation seemed inevitable. With the influx of flavor mixing and enhanced taste profiles, a simple black bean soup no longer made the cut. Though there is no indication as to why Campbell's discontinued the soup, it seems the company did so due to a decline in interest or demand for the product.
Campbell's Ox Tail Soup
This iteration was one of Campbell's main soups during the mid-1900s and into World War II. Its reason for disappearing from shelves remains unknown, but it was likely due to scarcity of resources. The original Ox Tail Soup offered tender, juicy ox tail meat in a broth with stock and vegetables. In a 1923 ad, Campbell's wrote, "The very first spoonful tells you it has been made by chefs of highest skill ... This is the strengthening, invigorating kind of soup that adds real nourishment to any meal."
Indeed, Campbell's promise held strong, as its Ox Tail soup provided quality nutrients in each serving. Every spoonful of joint marrow and herbs delivered protein, starch, and plenty of vitamins. Campbell's Ox Tail Soup was a staple for many years, with an ad campaign targeting children and their parents looking for a tasty, nutritious meal. It's hard to understand why any execs would take this soup off the shelf, but a shift in demand for specialty meat like oxtail may have signaled a shift for the company as well. Much like other soups, it will be sorely missed.
Progresso Green Pea Soup
Progresso's Green Pea Soup was exactly what it sounded like — green pea soup. It had a creamy texture and offered a one-note twist on homemade versions. But somehow, it gave way to ingenuity. With the introduction of Progresso's Green Split Pea Soup Flavored with Bacon, Green Pea almost disappeared, and eventually, it did.
In 2021, one Redditor went to the site to ask if anyone knew if Progresso's Green Pea soup had been discontinued. They lamented its absence and had no idea if it would ever appear again. All they could find was the new, more loaded version with bacon. Their query was allegedly met with a firm yes from General Mills, Progresso's parent company, who responded to the Redditor, saying, "Unfortunately, this product has been discontinued and is no longer available. While you enjoyed this product, overall general demand was insufficient to warrant its continued distribution." As is often the case with favored food products, if people start preferring other items, the old ones are discontinued.
Campbell's Chunky Chicken Mushroom Chowder
Over the years, Campbell's has lost quite a few canned soups. It's not uncommon for a given flavor to be discontinued for one reason or another. But it's always more noticeable when cult favorites like Campbell's Chunky Chicken Mushroom Chowder have to go. This soup offered a creamy, satisfyingly textured feel, with a strong meat and veggie presence. It was loved by both children and adults. So why did Campbell's stop making it? When asked about the Chunky Chicken Mushroom Chowder, Campbell's allegedly responded that it was too expensive to make.
Fans went on to reply that it didn't make sense since plenty of other Campbell's Chunky varieties contain similar ingredients. It would have been entirely feasible for Campbell's to raise the cost of a tin slightly to account for the manufacturing costs. These hearty soups are often a staple item for people looking for a quick dinner fix. Instead, they'll have to stick to other flavors and forego the Chicken Mushroom Chowder.
Read the original article on Mashed
