Lance is a popular brand of gluten free crackers that has been around for many years. Recently, there have been reports from consumers that they are having trouble finding some Lance gluten free cracker varieties in stores, leading many to wonder if certain flavors or the entire line has been discontinued.
This article will examine the evidence around whether or not Lance gluten free crackers have been discontinued. We’ll look at consumer reports of not being able to find the products, statements from the manufacturer, reasons why products are discontinued, and the outlook for the future of the Lance gluten free cracker line.
Consumer Reports of Lance Gluten Free Crackers Being Hard to Find
There have been numerous anecdotal reports over the past year or so from consumers saying they are having difficulty finding their favorite Lance gluten free cracker flavors and varieties at grocery stores.
Some of the specific cracker types that shoppers say they can no longer find include:
– Lance Gluten Free Original Crackers
– Lance Gluten Free Whole Grain Crackers
– Lance Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers
– Lance Gluten Free Butter Crackers
– Lance Gluten Free Veggie Crackers
– Lance Gluten Free Everything Crackers
Consumers have posted on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and gluten free forums that their local grocery stores no longer carry products like Lance Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers, which used to be easy to find. Some shoppers have managed to find certain flavors at specialty health food stores, but the products seem to be disappearing from major grocery store shelves.
For those who rely on Lance gluten free crackers for lunchboxes, snacking, or as their go-to gluten free cracker option, not being able to find them as easily has been frustrating and disappointing. The consumer reports of these products being hard to locate or no longer available at stores point to a potential discontinuation of the line.
Example social media posts
“I’ve stopped being able to find my favorite Lance Gluten Free Original crackers at any of my usual stores! Anyone know if they stopped making them?”
“Lance Gluten Free Butter Crackers seem to have disappeared from my local grocery store over the last couple months. Does anyone know if Lance no longer makes these? I can’t find them anywhere anymore!”
“I’ve been buying Lance Cheddar gluten free crackers for my daughter’s school lunches for years and now I can’t find them anywhere in town. Did Lance discontinue the Cheddar GF crackers? Nothing else compares!”
Statements from Lance About Discontinuation
With so many consumers asking questions if Lance gluten free crackers are discontinued, many have reached out directly to the company to find out. Unfortunately, Lance has not provided any official statement or confirmation on whether they have discontinued their gluten free cracker line as a whole or any specific flavors.
When customers inquire about no longer seeing products like Lance Gluten Free Butter Crackers on store shelves, they receive vague responses from the company’s customer service representatives. The general answer provided is that products come and go or are regional, but no definitive confirmation is given about discontinuation.
Lance consumer affairs has not announced on their website, social media pages, press releases, or other communication channels that they are discontinuing any gluten free crackers. The lack of available product and lack of information from the manufacturer suggests they quietly stopped production of some or all varieties.
Without a direct confirmation of a discontinuation from Lance, it is hard for consumers to know for certain why the products have become difficult to find in stores. But the available evidence points toward certain Lance gluten free cracker products, if not the entire line, being discontinued.
Example consumer inquiry
Consumer: “Are Lance Gluten Free Butter Crackers discontinued? I haven’t been able to find them anywhere in my area for months. Please let me know, thanks!”
Lance Customer Service: “Thank you for contacting Lance Consumer Affairs. Our product offerings do change from time to time and availability varies by region. We will share your feedback with the appropriate team.”
Reasons Why Companies Discontinue Products
While Lance has not provided details on their decision-making, there are a number of common reasons why food brands discontinue products, which may apply in this case.
Some of the potential reasons Lance gluten free crackers seem to have been discontinued include:
– Declining sales and profits – The products may not have had strong enough sales volume or growth to justify continued production. This could make them not worth the manufacturing and distribution costs.
– Competition – With more gluten free cracker options on the market from both specialty and mainstream brands, Lance may have faced too much competition leading to a sales decline.
– Manufacturing costs – Inflation and supply chain issues may have made the ingredients and processes for making the crackers too expensive compared to profitability.
– Company shifts focus – Lance’s parent company, Snyder’s-Lance, may have decided to shift attention to other brands or products and discontinue marginal performers like the gluten free crackers.
– Formula issues – There may have been sourcing issues for key ingredients or quality control problems that led Lance to halt production until viable solutions could be found.
Companies evaluate factors like sales, costs, and competition when deciding which products to keep or axe. For companies like Lance, discontinuing items is likely a last resort, but necessary in some cases to maintain a profitable portfolio of offerings. They may cut slower movers like niche gluten free items in favor of products with broader appeal and higher potential.
The Future of Lance Gluten Free Crackers
While concrete details have not emerged, the consensus among consumers is that certain varieties, if not all Lance gluten free crackers, have likely been discontinued. This would explain why so many shoppers have not been able to find products like Lance Gluten Free Original and Butter crackers on store shelves for months.
However, all hope may not be lost for fans of Lance gluten free crackers:
– The products could return in the future if economics and market conditions are right. Manufacturing or ingredient issues may have temporarily halted production.
– Certain regions may still have inventory available, so the crackers might still be found in some stores. Limited availability could continue slowly shrinking.
– A niche specialty retailer could work with Lance to bring the gluten free crackers back. This has happened with discontinued products like Hostess Twinkies.
– Lance could sell the license or recipe to another company to restart production under a different brand.
While it seems likely at least some Lance gluten free cracker varieties are discontinued for now, there is a possibility that consumer demand could lead to their return or revival in some form in the coming months or years. Manufacturers are always evaluating market signals – so continued interest in the Lance products could open the door for their reintroduction.
In the meantime, consumers have some viable Lance gluten free cracker alternatives to try from brands like:
– Simple Mills
– Mary’s Gone Crackers
– Good Thins
– Van’s
– Wasa
– Blue Diamond Nut Thins
While these other cracker brands cannot exactly replicate the unique taste and textures of consumer favorites like Lance gluten free Butter crackers, they provide options for those avoiding gluten. Within a few sentences, summarize the key points made in the article.
Conclusion
Based on widespread consumer reports of being unable to find once easily accessible Lance gluten free cracker varieties over the past year, it appears the company has quietly discontinued at least some if not all of their gluten free cracker line. Lance has not officially confirmed this, but the evidence of lack of availability and vague customer service responses point strongly to certain products being discontinued. This is likely due to some combination of lagging sales, high costs, manufacturing issues, and shifts in corporate strategy. While disappointed fans may never see their favorites return, other reputable gluten free brands offer similar crackers that can substitute for Lance. And there remains a possibility that consumer demand could convince Lance or another company to bring back the gluten free crackers once again.
Here is a brief summary of the key points made in the article:
– Numerous consumer reports indicate Lance gluten free crackers have been hard to find in stores over the past year, suggesting discontinuation.
– Lance has not provided any official confirmation that they have discontinued gluten free cracker varieties or the entire line.
– Common reasons for discontinuation include declining sales/profits, competition, manufacturing costs, changing business priorities. These likely factor in here.
– It remains possible but uncertain that Lance could bring the gluten free crackers back in the future if market factors change.
– For now, consumers have alternate gluten free cracker options from brands like Simple Mills and Mary’s Gone Crackers, although the taste and texture may differ.
– While not definitively confirmed, the consensus is that Lance has likely discontinued at least some gluten free cracker products due to a variety of business factors.
