Career
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.
In 1921, the Joseph Campbell Company was restructured as Campbell's Soup Company by dissolving the original company and selling shares for $1 to its successor. In 1923, the Campbell Sales Company, a subsidiary, was formed to manage the marketing and sales of Campbell's soup.
In addition to his control of Campbell's, Dorrance was elected to the board of directors of several other businesses, including the National Bank of Commerce in New York, the National State Bank of Camden, the Atlantic City Railroad, the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Port Reading Railroad, the Old Colony Trust Company of Boston, the Prudential Life and Insurance Company of America, and the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad.
