In 1869, icebox maker Abram Anderson and fruit merchant Joseph Campbell shook hands in Camden, New Jersey, forming a vegetable canning company. In 1897, their new employee, Dr. John Dorrance, found that by eliminating the water in soups, costs could be reduced. His condensed soups won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition. This medal is still incorporated into the Campbell's soup label design today.