| Description |
AVAILABLE FOR SHIPPING > Standing 13" tall to the lid finial, measuring 7 x 8.5" overall to the body ~ Heavy glass featuring hard fired red and blue enamel classic stylized lettering at two sides of the body reading > LANCE. above crossed arrows ~ Reverse cast relief letters to the underside of the lid read LANCE, repeated twice.
CONDITION REPORT > A degree of degradation to crossed arrow graphics ~ As discovered, dusty, in need of general cleaning ~ A well preserved example ~ Perhaps typical and minor elements relative to age, use and materials ~ No overt issues.
History of Lance
Lance Inc. began in 1913 when Philip L. Lance, a food broker in Charlotte, North Carolina, found himself with 500 pounds of leftover peanuts. He roasted and sold them for five cents a bag, and the success of those sales led him to expand into making peanut butter. This eventually evolved into creating peanut butter sandwiches, which became one of the company’s iconic products. Lance was officially incorporated in 1926.
Over the years, Lance became widely recognized for its snack crackers, particularly the peanut butter-filled sandwich crackers. The product line grew to include other popular items like ToastChee (cheese crackers with peanut butter filling), Captain’s Wafers (buttery crackers with fillings such as cream cheese and chives), and Peanut Butter on Nekot crackers. They also diversified into cookies, nuts, chips, and pretzels, positioning themselves as a strong competitor in the snack food market.
The company saw significant growth throughout the 20th century, especially in vending machines and convenience stores. Lance became a staple for on-the-go snacks across the United States. While they expanded production facilities to meet growing demand, the corporate headquarters and main factory remained in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the company had been founded.
In 2010, Lance merged with Snyder’s of Hanover, a leading pretzel manufacturer, forming Snyder’s-Lance Inc. The merger combined the strength of two major snack companies, allowing them to better compete with larger snack producers like Frito-Lay. After the merger, the headquarters continued to be based in Charlotte. However, in 2018, Campbell Soup Company acquired Snyder’s-Lance for approximately $4.9 billion, marking the end of Lance as an independent entity. Campbell's acquisition was part of a broader strategy to expand into healthier snack options and diversify beyond soups and meals.
Though Lance no longer exists as a standalone brand, its legacy lives on, with its signature snack crackers still being produced and sold under the Snyder's-Lance portfolio, now part of Campbell's larger snacking division.
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