Let's see if World Kitchen will back up their outrageous claim

[joeekaitis]

If they claim it's the 50th Anniversary of Corning Ware, their answer to this inquiry sent from their website:

"Since 2008 is the 50th anniversary of Corning Ware Pyroceram cookware, will consumers be able to buy limited edition Pyroceram cookware to mark the occasion?

Thank you for your time and attention."

. . .should be "Yes!" Stay tuned.

 

[joeekaitis]

From the ''But then, we already knew'' Dept.

"Thank you for contacting World Kitchen, LLC

We have no current plans to manufacture the Pyroceram cookware. We no
longer manufacture any Corningware that can be used on the stovetop.
All Corningware products are now manufactured from stoneware. We are
sorry for any inconvenience you have experienced.

To review our latest products, please visit our website at
www.shopworldkitchen.com

Occasionally, the World Kitchen Retail Stores carry discontinued items.
In order to find one nearest to you, please call our store locator at
888-246-2737 or go online to http://www.corningwarestores.com/.

Thank you for your interest in our products.

Sincerely,

Linda
1-800-999-3436
World Kitchen LLC
Consumer Help Center"

 

[whirlcool]

I know I'm kind of late to the party, but why did Corning stop making the Puroceram cookware in the first place. I thought it was incredibly popular.

 

[joeekaitis]

Put on your hip waders and read their explanation.

"History of CorningWare®

The original CorningWare® bakeware which was first introduced in 1958, was made of a glass-ceramic material that could be used on the stove, in the oven and under the broiler. After World Kitchen acquired the brand in the late 1990’s, CorningWare products were switched to ceramic stoneware production. Introduced later that year was the French White collection, which has been an all-time best seller among brides-to-be.

The stoneware transition was made, in part, to ensure that the brand adapted to the evolving tastes of consumers who today put a premium on color and design. In addition, with the advent of the microwave, the thermal benefits of the original material diminished in importance for home cooks.

The CorningWare stoneware collections can be used in conventional, convection and microwave ovens as well for storing food in the refrigerator and freezer. It washes easily by hand or in the dishwasher. Non-porous, stoneware won’t absorb food odors and resists staining. And it’s non-reactive so acid-based foods can be prepped or baked in it.

CorningWare bakeware, a perfect blend of style and function, is designed to be used for convenient same-dish baking and serving, whether for casual or formal dining."

So, who wants to take up a collection so we can buy them a bigger shovel?

 

[whirlcool]

Translation:

We bought the rights to the pyroceram cookware from Corning and wanted to turn it into a profit center as soon as possible. Hell, if Henry Ford said you can have any color you want as long as it is black, we can do the same with white.

Hey, this stoneware does most of what the old stuff did, and it's much cheaper to produce. What the consumer doesn't know won't hurt them, not too much anyway.

A buyout.... it figures.

 

[joeekaitis]

Can you imagine what it must be like to work at the Corelle and Pyrex plants, wondering if this is the year World Kitchen ships your job to China? They're already slapping the Pyrex name on Chinese metal bakeware and gadgets, and the Corelle trademark onto imported stoneware dishes.

Corelle branded cups and mugs were originally made of Vitrelle (the same material as the dishes), then Pyroceram followed by American-made stoneware. Now they're imported stoneware.

If this stuff is CorningWare, then you might as well put ginger ale in a corked bottle and call it Dom Perignon.

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Interesting thread...

Speaking of Pyrex... just for shits and giggles one day I found myself on their website. I sent them this e-mail:

Just to start, I would like to say that I have loved every Pyrex item
that I've ever owned... from measuring cups to casserole dishes and pie
dishes, to nesting bowls...

I was wondering if Pyrex has any plans, or has ever thought of
reproducing the four-color nesting bowl set that was popular in the
1950s, and is still quite a popular item today? The large bowl is
yellow, one smaller is green, one smaller is red, and the smallest is
blue... They are such an iconic piece of America's kitchens.

It almost surprises me that they haven't been reproduced, as some sort
of "heritage series" these nesting bowls - which is such a popular,
current trend. From cars (VW and the Beetle), to kitchen appliances
(Sunbeam's Mixmaster, heritage series toaster)... What is "old" seems
to be en vogue.

Just an idea. I look forward to hearing from you!

And a week or so later, I got this response:

Thank you for contacting World Kitchen, LLC.

Thank you for your product suggestion! We have forwarded your idea to
our design team for their review.

I'm not sure why they ever discontinued those items. They seem to
still be a big hit. I know I still have the set in my home, they were
passed down from my grandmother. Hopefully the marketing team gets
enough of these suggestions to reintroduce the line.

Sincerely,
James
World Kitchen Consumer Care Center

So... who knows. I'm guessing they don't make anything in that same style anymore because of the cost of the milky white glass (the reason that Carmex went to plastic tubs). I was somewhat surprised when the representative who responded to my e-mail actually knew what the product I was referring to was. I thought that was a start. But, in the end, I bet "my idea that got submitted to their design team for review" is probably getting reviewed in someone's email system's trash can. LoL

~Fred

 

[johnb300m]

Fred, I heard somewhere in a statistics class that every email a company receives is a representative of 1,000 people's similar view.
Also, a paper, physically typed or hand written letter counts as 10,000 people.

So, write more letters folks.

 

[danemodsandy]

Truth In Advertising...

...I wish truth in advertising was better enforced, because if it were, nothing made today would or could be called Corning Ware. That trade name referred- very specifically- to Pyroceram made by Corning. Corning made many a ceramic product over the years, but not once was one branded Corning Ware. There is no disclosure on today's "Corning Ware" products that they have nothing in common with the Pyroceram products that made the brand desirable in the first place, except the overall shape (and even that's not the classic Corning Ware shape- it's the later "French White" shape). They're not freezer-to-oven safe, they're not stovetop safe, they're just ceramic that's no better or worse than any other.

I keep wondering how long consumers are going to put up with this sort of thing.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I saw a later version of the multi color bowl set that was done in clear glass. The color seemed to be in between the layers and the bases were transparent.

Corning was anxious to unload the Pyroceram products since the material had only been developed under a research contract with NASA as a material for rocket nose cones and they wanted out of the manufacturing of that so that they could concentrate on more lucrative ventures like fiber optic cable. Some part of a factory was destroyed by fire, but I don't remember if it manufactured the cookware or the Centura dinnerware. Anchor Hocking briefly made a line of Pyroceram or Pyroceram-like cookware but it lacked the styling of Corning Ware. And there was that Arco-Roc cookware or something like that maybe from France, that was supposed to be like Corning Ware. It had attractive, round pans.

It's possible that research showed that there was so much Corning Ware in households that no more of it needed to be manufactured if the existing pieces were passed down and swapped around. There sure is plenty on eBay. I think it is one of those practically indestructible materials that will be left behind for the roaches when humankind is gone from the planet, unless we evacuate instead of becoming extinct.

I am not sure if I understand this from Joe:
Corelle branded cups and mugs were originally made of Vitrelle (the same material as the dishes), then Pyroceram

When Corelle first came to the market, the cups were Pyroceram Centura dinnerware and could not be used in a microwave oven because of the glaze. I was working in the housewares dept then and the Corning rep made certain we knew about the cups and made certain that we would inform people who bought the Corelle that new microwave safe cups were going to be available soon, but the original cups, unlke the rest of the dishes in the set were not microwave safe. Then the shallow open-handle microwave safe cups were introduced. I'm not sure about this, but I think the first Corelle mugs sold in four pacs were actually Pyrex, like so many of the matching accessories such as the butter dish.

I remember how surprised I was when I went into a Corning outlet store and saw they were selling Revere Ware. They had one set with Pyrex lids. I did not know what had happened, but I knew it was not good.