The Vintage Dishware Brand Behind Pyrex Also Owns These 5 Well-Known Companies

If you love vintage dishware, you probably know some of the top names to look out for. Over the long lifespans of these dishware brands, companies merge and split to create a surprisingly intricate family tree. The next time you're trying to find vintage Pyrex at the thrift store and spot some Corelle, think about how they're actually produced by the same brand, Corelle Brands. It doesn't stop there! They also own several other brands, including some non-dishware ones like Chicago Cutlery. Some of the brands Corelle produces, such as Snapware, are more recent editions acquired through sales and mergers. Others, like Pyrex, have been with them from the very beginning in 1915. There have even been a few brands that came and went, like the bakingware manufacturer Baker's Secret.

You may already be familiar with the name Corelle Brands, but they have gone by a few other names over the years. Originally, they were Corning Consumer Product Company, a division of the glass manufacturers Corning Incorporated that produced cookware and dishware. The division was sold by Corning Incorporated and became World Kitchen Inc. in 2000, eventually being renamed to Corelle Brands in 2018. More recently, they merged with the makers of Instant Pots, Instant Brands Inc., in 2019. Instant Brands was then bought by Centre Lane Partners in 2023. Don't worry if the corporate side of things is a bit confusing — Corelle is still the brand to know if you want to find Pyrex, Corelle, and a number of other cookware brands.

Pyrex, Corelle, and Corningware are all produced by Corelle Brands, and they also all date back to the days of Corning Inc. Pyrex was first introduced in 1915, as something of a happy accident. Corning Inc. was developing heat-resistant glass for railroad lanterns and battery jars in the late 1800s, when Bessie Littleton, the wife of one of Corning's scientists, became frustrated that her earthenware dish cracked in the oven. She used one of Corning's battery jars to bake instead, and Corning realized that they could use the glass to make cookware.

Corningware came onto the scene next in the late 1950s with the invention of their Pyroceram material. Part of the appeal was that Pyroceram could be taken out of the freezer and placed directly into the oven. They switched to stoneware in the early 2000s, which does have slightly different properties. So if you're wondering if you can cook with Corningware on the grill, it's important to know which era your dishes are from. 

Corelle, another vintage kitchen brand to look for at the thrift store if you love Pyrex, followed closely behind, appearing in the early 1970s. Following the trend of Corning's inventiveness, Corelle is made from vitrelle, a type of durable, layered glass. When Corning Consumer Products was sold, Pyrex, Corningware, and Corelle went along with them — mostly. Corning Inc. actually still holds the trademarks for Corningware and Pyrex, which Corelle Brands licenses from them. However, Corning Inc. no longer makes kitchenware. Instead, they use the remarkable glass they invented for scientific equipment!

Corelle Brands also owns several brands that you may use regularly without thinking much of them. Visions is a line of glass cookware that was first introduced in the '70s. However, it was actually developed by Corning France, and didn't arrive here in the U.S. until the '80s. The glass pieces were clear or amber, with a cranberry color being introduced later. More recently, the brand has been the source of some confusion. While Visions is still listed on the Corelle Brands website, production seems to be a bit sporadic, making it difficult to find in U.S. stores.

Chicago Cutlery is actually a vintage brand in its own right, dating back to 1935. They started off making knives with wooden handles, although they now produce a variety of other products. Chicago Cutlery was bought by World Kitchen in 1999. Currently Corelle Brands makes knives with both wooden and metal handles, along with kitchen scissors, cutting boards, and knife accessories like sharpening blocks under the brand name.

Snapware was first founded in 1994, and they were Corelle Brands's most recent acquisition. Snapware creates food storage containers with snap-on lids, hence the name. They joined Corelle Brands in 2010, during their World Kitchen days. If you've been buying Snapware products for a while, you may have noticed the shift even if you weren't following the acquisition. Snapware produces both plastic and glass containers with lids, and the glass ones now use clear Pyrex containers.