Campbell Appoints Shakeel Farooque as Head of Digital & E-Commerce Organization

CAMDEN, N.J.--()--Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) today announced the appointment of Shakeel Farooque to the newly created role of Vice President and Head of Digital and E-Commerce. Campbell plans to accelerate the company’s digital and e-Commerce capabilities by forming an e-Commerce unit representing all three Campbell divisions in North America which Farooque will lead. Campbell has a goal of generating $300 million in e-Commerce sales over the next five years.

In this role, Farooque will build and lead the digital and e-Commerce organization, focusing on scaling the company’s digital marketing capabilities, creating an integrated e-Commerce approach, driving innovation and developing a new supply chain model. Farooque will be based at Campbell’s World Headquarters in Camden, N.J., and report to Mark Alexander, Campbell’s President Americas Simple Meals and Beverages, starting July 24, 2017.

E-Commerce is a significant growth opportunity for Campbell, and it represents the future of food commerce,” said Alexander. “Only those who get there in a fast and smart way will win, and Campbell intends to do just that. We have an accelerated strategy to invest and grow in this space. It starts with talent. Shakeel is a builder – a builder of organizations, ideas, partnerships and solutions. That’s exactly what we need him to do here.”

Farooque brings both a consumer and technology focus across the retail sector, previously working at companies like Kohl’s, eBay and Amazon, Inc. He was most recently SVP of e-Commerce at Kohl’s where he leveraged data to understand consumer behaviors and spearheaded the design and execution of Kohl’s digital business strategy. Farooque was responsible for transforming the organization into a top player in omni-channel capabilities. While at eBay, he overhauled the eBay Deals Program to increase subscriptions and nearly tripled revenues in year one. At Amazon, Farooque led global strategic planning and executed initiatives enhancing long-term business performance across the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Campbell recently outlined its plans to partner with leading e-Commerce companies, such as the announced $10 million investment and strategic partnership with online meal kit company Chef’d, and steps it is taking to create a more flexible distribution system to serve e-Commerce channels.

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell (NYSE:CPB) is driven and inspired by our Purpose, “Real food that matters for life’s moments.” We make a range of high-quality soups and simple meals, beverages, snacks and packaged fresh foods. For generations, people have trusted Campbell to provide authentic, flavorful and readily available foods and beverages that connect them to each other, to warm memories and to what’s important today. Led by our iconic Campbell’s brand, our portfolio includes Pepperidge Farm, Bolthouse Farms, Arnott’s, V8, Swanson, Pace, Prego, Plum, Royal Dansk, Kjeldsens and Garden Fresh Gourmet. Founded in 1869, Campbell has a heritage of giving back and acting as a good steward of the planet’s natural resources. The company 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. To learn more about how we make our food and the choices behind the ingredients we use, visit www.whatsinmyfood.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” that reflect the company’s current expectations about the impact of its future plans and performance on the company’s business or financial results. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions and estimates that could be inaccurate and which are subject to risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause the company’s actual results to vary materially from those anticipated or expressed in any forward-looking statement include (1) the company’s ability to manage changes to its organizational structure and/or business processes; (2) the company’s ability to realize projected cost savings and benefits from its efficiency programs; (3) the impact of strong competitive responses to the company’s efforts to leverage its brand power in the market; (4) the impact of changes in consumer demand for the company’s products and favorable perception of the company’s brands; (5) the impact of product quality and safety issues, including recalls and product liabilities; (6) the risks associated with trade and consumer acceptance of the company’s initiatives, including its trade and promotional programs; (7) the impact of a changing customer landscape, with value and e-commerce retailers expanding their market presence, while certain of the company’s key customers continue to increase their significance to the company’s business; (8) the impact of changing inventory management practices by certain of the company’s key customers; (9) the impact of disruptions to the company’s supply chain, including fluctuations in the supply of and inflation in energy and raw and packaging materials cost; (10) the impact of non-U.S. operations, including trade restrictions, public corruption and compliance with foreign laws and regulations; (11) the ability to complete and to realize the projected benefits of acquisitions, divestitures and other business portfolio changes; (12) the uncertainties of litigation and regulatory actions against the company; (13) the possible disruption to the independent contractor distribution models used by certain of the company’s businesses, including as a result of litigation or regulatory actions affecting their independent contractor classification; (14) the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights; (15) the impact of an impairment to goodwill or other intangible assets; (16) the impact of increased liabilities and costs related to the company’s defined benefit pension plans; (17) the impact of a material failure in or breach of the company’s information technology systems; (18) the company’s ability to attract and retain key talent; (19) the impact of changes in currency exchange rates, tax rates, interest rates, debt and equity markets, inflation rates, economic conditions, law, regulation and other external factors; (20) the impact of unforeseen business disruptions in one or more of the company’s markets due to political instability, civil disobedience, terrorism, armed hostilities, natural disasters or other calamities; and (21) other factors described in the company’s most recent Form 10-K and subsequent Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any obligation or intent to update the forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Contacts

Campbell Soup Company
Megan Haney, 856-342-4978
Megan_haney@campbellsoup.com

Contacts

Campbell Soup Company
Megan Haney, 856-342-4978
Megan_haney@campbellsoup.com