Corelle Brands

The company began as an unincorporated consumer products division of Corning, Inc. in 1915 with the invention of heat-resistant glass bakeware sold under the Pyrex brand. It was incorporated as the Corning Consumer Products Company (CCPC) in the early 1990s as part of a larger reorganization and Corning contributed or licensed to the company substantially all of its assets used in the existing consumer division. In November 1994, Corning and the CCPC sold their European, Russian, Middle Eastern and African consumer products businesses to Newell. A major competitor at the time, they would serve as the exclusive distributor for a number of the company’s products in those regions. CCPC was spun off from Corning in 1998 and purchased by Borden. It acquired General Housewares and Ekco in 1999.[2][3]

As part of the sale to Borden, the company was required to shed the Corning name within three years.[3] The World Kitchen name was adopted in 2000. In 2002 the company filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 and underwent financial reorganization.[4]

As of 2004, it has been privately held.

Kenneth Wilkes was named president and CEO in August 2017, following a change in control in April to private equity firm Cornell Capital. that was preceded by a long period of organizational changes and operational restructuring.[5][6] The company's website states it employs approximately 3,000 people, and has major manufacturing and distribution operations in the United States, Canada, and Asia-Pacific regions.

On February 5, 2018 the company announced it had changed its name to "Corelle Brands" in order to take advantage of one of its most recognizable trademarks.[7]

In August 2018, Corelle Brands announced it would be investing $50 million over the next four years to update its Corning plant and expand its workforce.[8]

On March 4, 2019 the company announced it had entered into a "merger" agreement with Instant Brands, maker of the Instant Pot kitchen appliance, and Corelle’s chief executive will become the chief executive of the merged company while Instant Brands founder Robert Wang will become the merged company’s “chief innovative officer.”[9] Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.[10]

On June 2, 2020, the company announced Ben Gadbois as the replacement for Kenneth Wilkes, who retired but will continue to serve on the Board of Directors. [11]

On January 28, 2021 CEO Ben Gadbois announce Corelle Brands would change its global parent company name over to Instant Brands.

Corelle Brands products are typically sold in supermarkets in the USA, and by some high-end retailers catering to upper class consumers in parts of Asia, Europe, and South America. In China, its goods enjoy limited distribution and products are sold through TV Home Shopping channels and in shopping malls.[12]

Corelle Brands also has outlet stores Corningware, Corelle and More throughout the United States.

Pyrex-branded glass products have been the subject of urban legends and safety concerns. Beginning in the 1980s, production of clear Pyrex glass bakeware was switched from a more thermally resistant borosilicate glass to mechanically stronger soda-lime glass. The concern stems from the fact that soda-lime glass is more susceptible to breaking when exposed to sudden temperature differences. This change received greater attention after the Corning Consumer Products Company was spun off by Corning, Inc. The consumer affairs magazine Consumer Reports investigated the issue, in January 2011, confirming that borosilicate glass bakeware was less susceptible to thermal shock breakage than tempered soda-lime bakeware. However, they admitted their testing conditions were "contrary to instructions" provided by the manufacturer.[14][15] STATS analyzed the data available and found that the most common way that users were injured by glassware was via mechanical breakage, being hit or dropped, and that "the change to soda lime represents a greater net safety benefit."[16]

• Corelle Brands, LLC website