Campbell’s Removed Synthetic Dyes From Lance Crackers
The Charlotte-based manufacturer transitioned its snack lineup to natural colorants to meet changing consumer demand.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Consumer Goods
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In August 2026, Campbell's completed a companywide initiative to replace synthetic dyes with natural colorants across its portfolio. This effort included reformulating 17 varieties of Lance sandwich crackers manufactured in Charlotte.
Why it matters
The shift reflects a broader alignment with federal health agency goals to remove specific synthetic dyes from the food supply by 2027. Meeting these shifting consumer and regulatory expectations allows brands to maintain market relevance without impacting product pricing.
The reformulation project involved 17 Lance sandwich cracker varieties manufactured at the company's Charlotte facility, which employs 1,400 workers. The process required no new capital investment for the local site following the parent company's $6.1 billion 2018 acquisition.
The players
Campbell's Co.
A multinational food manufacturer that manages a large portfolio of snack and soup brands following its 2018 acquisition of Snyder's-Lance Inc.
Food and Drug Administration
The federal agency tasked with regulating food safety and providing industry guidance on the use of synthetic additives.
The details
Campbell's research teams spent nine months conducting baking trials to integrate plant-derived extracts such as annatto and turmeric into the Lance recipe. These natural colorants replace Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, mirroring the transition process used for the company's Goldfish brand 15 years ago. Production line workers implemented the changes using existing equipment, ensuring that product pricing remained stable during the transition.
Timeline
September 2025: R&D teams initiated testing of natural colorant alternatives.
August 2026: Campbell's finalized the transition of its final snack brands.
December 2027: FDA deadline for the removal of six specific synthetic dyes.
Market Landscape
This transition aligns the company with the FDA's 2027 target for the removal of six synthetic dyes from food products. It follows an industry trend where major food processors are preemptively reformulating recipes to avoid future compliance risks and capture health-conscious consumers.
Operators in the food sector should evaluate their own ingredient supply chains against the 2027 federal dye-removal target to mitigate future reformulations. Proactive adjustments to recipes can prevent sudden, costly compliance hurdles as regulatory pressure on synthetic additives intensifies.
The takeaway
Ingredient transparency is becoming a baseline requirement rather than a premium differentiator in the food industry. Managers should audit current product labels for the six synthetic dyes currently under federal scrutiny to prepare for potential regulatory and consumer shifts.
Further reading
Explore more analysis regarding shifting industry standards in our Consumer Goods section.
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