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John Thompson Dorrance
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John Thompson Dorrance
John Thompson Dorrance (November 11, 1873 – September 21, 1930) was an American chemist and businessman who developed commercially viable condensed soup. He was president of the Campbell's from 1914 to 1930, having purchased sole ownership from the Campbell family in 1915. At the time of his death, he possessed a fortune worth an estimated $120 million (approximately $1.79 billion in 2024 dollars).
John Thompson Dorrance was born November 11, 1873 in Bristol, Pennsylvania to John Sr. and Eleanor (née Thompson) Dorrance. His father was a prominent local businessman and politician, and he was raised at the Dorrance Mansion.
He attended the Rugby Academy in Philadelphia and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1895. While at MIT, he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
In 1897, he graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen. He worked in several restaurants in Paris, where he learned about soup flavorings and had the idea to prepare and package soup in condensed form.
In 1897, after declining offers to teach chemistry at Göttingen, Bryn Mawr College, Columbia University, and Cornell University, Dorrance chose a job as a chemist with the Joseph Campbell Preserve Company, which was founded by Joseph A. Campbell and headed at the time by his uncle, Arthur Dorrance. At the time, Campbell was a relatively small concern packing preserves, jams, jellies, and preserved vegetables.
In 1899, Dorrance implemented his idea to condense soup, producing the first batch using an improved process which maintained its flavor and nutrient content but, by reducing the water content, reduced the weight and bulk of the soup, therefore saving significantly on container sizes and shipping costs. Due to these costs savings, Campbells was able to lower the price of their soups from 34 cents to 10 cents. Campbell's condensed soup was immediately popular, revolutionizing household economics throughout the United States.
In 1900, Dorrance was promoted to director and vice-president, and in 1914, he became president and general manager. In 1915, Dorrance bought out the Campbell family and became sole owner of the company. He also led the acquisition of Franco-American Food Company in that same year, which added canned spaghetti, pasta, and sauces to Campbell's offerings. In addition to his work on condensed soup, Dorrance experimented in scientific agriculture and husbandry, dedicating his attention to improving varieties of fruits and vegetables. He had conservatories and gardens at his home, Pomona Farm, in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.
In 1917, he was nominated by President Herbert Hoover for a position in the United States Food Administration.
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John Thompson Dorrance
John Thompson Dorrance (November 11, 1873 – September 21, 1930) was an American chemist and businessman who developed commercially viable condensed soup. He was president of the Campbell's from 1914 to 1930, having purchased sole ownership from the Campbell family in 1915. At the time of his death, he possessed a fortune worth an estimated $120 million (approximately $1.79 billion in 2024 dollars).
John Thompson Dorrance was born November 11, 1873 in Bristol, Pennsylvania to John Sr. and Eleanor (née Thompson) Dorrance. His father was a prominent local businessman and politician, and he was raised at the Dorrance Mansion.
He attended the Rugby Academy in Philadelphia and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1895. While at MIT, he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
In 1897, he graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen. He worked in several restaurants in Paris, where he learned about soup flavorings and had the idea to prepare and package soup in condensed form.
In 1897, after declining offers to teach chemistry at Göttingen, Bryn Mawr College, Columbia University, and Cornell University, Dorrance chose a job as a chemist with the Joseph Campbell Preserve Company, which was founded by Joseph A. Campbell and headed at the time by his uncle, Arthur Dorrance. At the time, Campbell was a relatively small concern packing preserves, jams, jellies, and preserved vegetables.
In 1899, Dorrance implemented his idea to condense soup, producing the first batch using an improved process which maintained its flavor and nutrient content but, by reducing the water content, reduced the weight and bulk of the soup, therefore saving significantly on container sizes and shipping costs. Due to these costs savings, Campbells was able to lower the price of their soups from 34 cents to 10 cents. Campbell's condensed soup was immediately popular, revolutionizing household economics throughout the United States.
In 1900, Dorrance was promoted to director and vice-president, and in 1914, he became president and general manager. In 1915, Dorrance bought out the Campbell family and became sole owner of the company. He also led the acquisition of Franco-American Food Company in that same year, which added canned spaghetti, pasta, and sauces to Campbell's offerings. In addition to his work on condensed soup, Dorrance experimented in scientific agriculture and husbandry, dedicating his attention to improving varieties of fruits and vegetables. He had conservatories and gardens at his home, Pomona Farm, in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.
In 1917, he was nominated by President Herbert Hoover for a position in the United States Food Administration.