Did Rao's Sauce Change After Campbell's Bought It? Here's What Fans Say
When Rao's was purchased by Campbell's last year it was a major moment for pasta sauce. Jarred pasta sauce used to be a budget item, with even $5 jars widely being considered expensive. So when Rao's showed up on shelves priced at $8 or more it seemed outrageous ... until people tried it. It turns out that the high-quality ingredients and recipe used by the iconic New York restaurant really did make a better jarred pasta sauce; Rao's started topping jarred pasta sauce taste tests and building a devoted following. Campbell's $2.7 billion purchase confirmed its success, but also led to concern that the corporate giant would change the recipe. Campbell's denied it would change Rao's recipe, but now a year after its acquisition, Rao's fans are divided.
The sale has given birth to many threads, particularly on Reddit, where fans have been asking each other if they've noticed any difference. Some people are certain Campbell's has altered the recipe, saying "Sooooo disappointed. The[y] 100% changed the recipe," and more intensely "It's garbage now. Tastes no different from $1 pasta sauce but still carries a premium price." While Campbell's said it would not touch the recipe some have speculated that they downgraded quality, saying "I'd be surprised if they didn't change the sourcing (like on olive oil) to increase their return on investment."
There is little evidence Rao's sauce has changed, even if some fans think differently
Despite some people being certain that Rao's has changed since the takeover, plenty of others taste no difference. A few months ago the same question on Reddit prompted responses of "I've been buying it forever and I don't think it's changed at all," and "It's still the best IMO." Photos of Rao's ingredient list also show no change. In 2025 Rao's Marinara sauce still lists Italian whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, onions, salt, garlic, basil, black pepper, and oregano in that exact order, same as it did back in 2020. While the quality of those individual ingredients could have theoretically been lowered as some speculate, there is no definitive proof.
Speculation should also be taken with a grain of salt for another reason. Many comments that the recipe changed, or social media videos claiming the same, came out after the deal was announced, but before Campbell's actually took over Rao's. The announcement came in August 2023, but the takeover didn't happen until the following March. People claiming Campbell's had changed the recipe in January 2024 simply could not be correct. This is not to claim these people were lying about their taste buds, but making bold claims for attention on social media is certainly a thing, and placebo effects are very real when people's expectations change. The only thing that really matters is if your favorite Rao's sauce still tastes good to you.