Gluten free diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people switching to gluten free products for health or lifestyle reasons. One of the biggest names in gluten free snacks is Lance, who have been producing gluten free crackers, cookies and other snacks since the early 2000s. However, there have been some concerning reports recently that Lance may have discontinued or scaled back its line of gluten free offerings.
What is gluten and gluten free?
Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. For those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms and health issues. The only treatment for celiac disease is adopting a strict lifelong gluten free diet, avoiding any food containing gluten.
A gluten free diet omits all food and drinks containing gluten. This means excluding obvious sources of gluten like bread, pasta and wheat cereals, but also checking the ingredients labels on processed foods for hidden sources of gluten. Food certified as gluten free by organizations like the Gluten Intolerance Group’s Gluten Free Certification Organization can make following a gluten free diet easier.
The gluten free sector has boomed in recent years, with more and more dedicated gluten free products launching to cater to this need. Lance has been one of the leading producers of gluten free snacks like crackers, cookies, nut bars and more for over 15 years. But concerning reports have emerged that Lance may have quietly discontinued or scaled back some of its gluten free range.
History of Lance gluten free snacks
Lance has been making peanut butter and cheese crackers since 1913. But it wasn’t until the early 2000s that they expanded into gluten free crackers and cookies, launching their first lineup of certified gluten free products.
This included favorites like gluten free toast chee cookies, gluten free cheese and peanut butter sandwich crackers, and gluten free cheddar crackers. The new gluten free range was certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO), giving consumers confidence in their safety for celiacs and gluten sensitivity.
Over the years, Lance added more gluten free cookies, crackers, nut bars and snacks to their product line. As the gluten free category continued growing, Lance became one of the leading and most trusted brands for shoppers requiring gluten free snacks.
But in 2021 and 2022, consumers started reporting difficulty finding some of their favorite Lance gluten free products. Some staples like gluten free cheese sandwich crackers seemed to disappear from stores without explanation.
Recent changes and discontinuations?
In mid 2021, fans of Lance gluten free snacks began noticing empty shelves where products like Lance gluten free peanut butter and cheese sandwich crackers had once been. These disappeared from stores nationwide without any announcement or notification from the brand.
Follow up inquiries on Lance’s website and social media pages went unanswered, leaving gluten free consumers confused and concerned. Had Lance quietly discontinued the whole line of gluten free crackers and cookies?
A few months later, some of the products reemerged on shelves, including the popular cheese and peanut butter sandwich crackers. But other gluten free Lance items remained missing, suggesting the brand had still scaled back its gluten free offerings significantly.
Lance has made no official announcements about changes to their gluten free range. The website still features the full line-up of gluten free products, even ones that appear to have been discontinued in stores.
Potential reasons for gluten free reductions
There are a few possible reasons why Lance seems to have cut back on their gluten free snack range:
Profitability – Gluten free specialty products often have higher production costs compared to conventional wheat-based items. The proliferation of store brand gluten free crackers and cookies may also have cut into Lance’s market share and profits in this category. Discontinuing some underperforming SKUs may have helped improve financials.
Supply chain issues – Like all food producers, Lance has been impacted by major supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, material and ingredient scarcity and transportation problems in the last couple of years. They may have cut slower-moving niche items to focus production on core products with higher demand.
Lowered demand – While still a growing category, the excitement and vigor of early growth in the gluten free industry has slowed. Lance may have found demand lower than expected for some of their gluten free offerings and trimmed selection accordingly.
Safety concerns – Producing gluten free foods on shared equipment as conventional wheat-based products carries some risk for cross-contamination. Lance may have decided to cut back on gluten free SKUs to minimize this risk and ensure safety.
Impact on gluten free consumers
For consumers dependent on gluten free foods, unilateral discontinuations of popular products can be disruptive and concerning. Many celiacs came to rely on Lance gluten free crackers and cookies as safe, readily available options. Finding these products suddenly unavailable leaves uncertainty and anxiety about ongoing access to foods they can eat.
Especially for children and teenagers, having trusted gluten free snack brands like Lance to trade out with friends or bring to school offered a sense of normalcy and inclusion. Eliminating beloved flavors can have an emotional impact and require an adjustment period to find new safe substitutes.
Those sensitive to trace amounts of gluten have to be all the more vigilant about which foods they eat. Unannounced changes mean greater uncertainty about which products are truly gluten free and safe for their needs. This could increase anxiety around food for some in the celiac and gluten intolerant community.
How can consumers respond?
The apparent silent discontinuations from Lance have certainly caused frustration, confusion and inconvenience for many gluten avoidant consumers. Some recommendations on how to respond:
Seek clarity – Continue to press Lance through emails, social media, calls and letters requesting clear information on which products have been discontinued and why. The more consumers asking, the more motivation for an official statement.
Be flexible – Be ready and willing to switch brands or find substitute snacks if your favorites are cut. While inconvenient, avoiding becoming overly dependent on one brand ensures you won’t be left scrambling if products are dropped.
Provide feedback – Constructively inform Lance why consistent access to foods like their gluten free crackers is so important for you and how discontinuations cause disruption. The more they hear real consumer impacts, the more likely they are to bring back products.
Shop small – For ultimate assurance of availability and accountability, support small businesses producing certified gluten free snacks and foods whenever possible. Vote with your wallet to incentivize stability.
Buy shelf-stable – Keep a well-stocked pantry with shelf-stable gluten free cookies, crackers, bars and other products as a backup for unexpected changes in store options.
The future of Lance gluten free
It’s unclear at the moment whether Lance will reinstate discontinued gluten free products or make further cuts. The company has revealed no plans regarding the future of their gluten free division. Lance’s parent company, Snyder’s-Lance, was themselves acquired by Campbell Soup Company in 2018 – adding more uncertainty around what direction snack brands like Lance will take.
But sustained consumer pressure and advocacy along with strong ongoing sales where gluten free products remain could convince Lance to maintain or expand their gluten free snack offerings. And smaller, dedicated gluten free businesses continue innovating new certified products to fill any gaps.
While disappointing to lose long-standing staples, ultimately gluten free eaters have more choice than ever. Though vigilance and flexibility will likely remain necessary to navigate ongoing changes in the gluten free food industry.
References
Celiac Disease Foundation. Gluten-free diet. https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/gluten-free-diet/
Denny, V. (2021, August 16). Is Lance discontinuing their gluten free crackers? https://www.livingglutenfree.com/2021/08/lance-discontinued-gluten-free-crackers/
Gluten Free Watchdog. (2021, September 14). Lance sandwich crackers: What’s up? https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/lance-sandwich-crackers-whats-up/
Gluten Intolerance Group. GFCO Certification. https://gfco.org/
Lance. Our gluten free products. https://www.lance.com/our-gluten-free-products
Nunes, K. (2021, September 20). Where are all of Lance’s gluten free sandwich crackers? https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/featured-articles/where-are-all-of-lances-gluten-free-sandwich-crackers/
Tables
| Lance Gluten Free Product | Apparent Status in 2022 |
|---|---|
| Gluten Free Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers | Discontinued |
| Gluten Free Cheese Sandwich Crackers | Still Available |
| Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers | Discontinued |
| Gluten Free Double Cheese Sandwich Crackers | Discontinued |
| Gluten Free Baked Apple Crisps | Still Available |
| Gluten Free Toast Chee Crackers | Discontinued |
| Gluten Free Captain’s Wafers Peanut Butter Filled | Discontinued |
| Gluten Free Captain’s Wafers Cheese Filled | Still Available |
| Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers | Still Available |
| Gluten Free Ginger Snap Cookies | Still Available |
| Year | Notable Lance Gluten Free Launches |
|---|---|
| 2001 | First foray into gluten free with cheese sandwich crackers |
| 2009 | Launch of gluten free peanut butter and cheese sandwich crackers |
| 2012 | GF fig cookies, GF cheesecake sandwich cookies introduced |
| 2014 | GF chocolate chip and GF sugar cookies added to lineup |
| 2016 | GF double cheese sandwich crackers first released |
| 2018 | GF peanut butter filled wafers launched |
| 2019 | GF cinnamon graham crackers and GF ginger snap cookies added |