CAMDEN (dpa-AFX) - Campbell Soup (CPB) CEO Mark Clouse Wednesday said that the company is ramping up its production in certain areas to meet the demand for its soup amid the the coronavirus outbreak.
'We made the decision last week to up production in certain areas where we're using a little bit the analogy of weather or natural disasters,' Clouse said on CNBC's Closing Bell. 'Where do we see demand coming in a greater rate? And we've upped that level of production to be able to maximize our inventory to be prepared for whatever unfolds here.'
Consumers have started to stockpiling canned soup and other shelf-stable foods as more cases of the disease are reported in the U.S. Demand for hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies have also increased significantly.
Clouse said the company has been talking with some retailers to better understand what demand could look like.
The food company also said that it is also preparing to prevent any supply chain interruptions for products such as Goldfish crackers and Milano cookies. Only about 10% of its products are sourced outside of the U.S., with less than 2% in China.
There are currently more than 94,000 cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with 128 confirmed in the US.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2020 AFX News
