Marson Foods may not be a familiar name to many in the baking industry today. That’s likely going to change very soon. 

Founded in 2019, the Carson City, Nev.-based waffle producer is led by husband and wife Dave and Jan Marson. The couple previously founded Nature’s Bakery in 2011, and successfully grew the soft-baked snack company into a national brand before selling it to Kind, part of McLean, Va.-based Mars Inc., in 2020. 

No one would have blamed the Marsons for enjoying a well-deserved retirement following the sale of Nature’s Bakery, but they weren’t done yet.

“They did every baker’s dream,” said Tyler Wallace, chief operating officer, Marson Foods. “You start a brand from nothing; you grow it; you sell it. And [Dave] was crazy enough to get back in it.”

Dave Marson wanted to stay in the food industry with his next venture, and he didn’t have to wait long, as he was soon offered the opportunity to manufacture waffles for schools. This was perfect for the Marsons, who had a three-year noncompete in retail following the sale of Nature’s Bakery that did not stop them from selling into institutions like schools. 

However, Dave Marson knew next to nothing about waffles and had to research the product “from the ground up” to learn how to produce them on a commercial scale.

“YouTube was the greatest resource for me; I literally learned how to make waffles on YouTube,” Marson said with a laugh. 

Marson followed his YouTube crash course with tours of the biggest waffle manufacturers in Europe to further learn the automation and costs behind production. The Marsons then installed a small pilot line in their Carson City plant to begin testing their product — individually wrapped waffles in flavors like Maple Syrup, Sweet Vanilla and Fun N’ Frutti — and gauge its reception. The feedback from schools was overwhelmingly positive. 

“The kids actually get to test the product, and eight out of 10 have to like it or the schools won’t bring it in,” Marson explained. “We had 100% acceptance in one school. The lady who did the testing said in 20 years she had never seen that.”

Marson knew he had a great product on his hands, but unfortunately, its launch into schools came just months before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It’s hard to sell waffles into schools when there’s no school,” Marson said.

Thankfully, the company stayed afloat through school take-home lunch programs, as the prepackaged waffles were an easy addition to grab-and-go lunches. 

“From there, the first three years we just continued to grow, learn the bidding process and how to get into more schools around the country,” Marson said. 

Soon, the Marsons were maxing out their pilot line and knew they needed to expand. In October 2023, they did just that, opening a 147,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Hazelwood, Mo., featuring what Marson described as the most automated waffle line in the world. 

With the new facility, Marson said the company’s goal is clear: to become the largest waffle manufacturer in the United States. 

“By putting in [this line] you now are kind of taking Belgium out of the picture,” he explained. “What happens now is Belgium makes the waffles and ships them into the United States. That’s a huge expense. Now, we can become that primary supplier in the US without a lot of competitors. Nobody will be able to compete with our automation, so no one will be able to beat us on direct and indirect labor.”

And while Marson Foods has only served kindergarten through high school until now, that’s about to change. With its new plant complete and the noncompete over, the company is now targeting the retail, club, foodservice and convenience channels.

 “We’re going after everyone,” Marson said.

For Marson Foods, the sky’s the limit when it comes to future growth. The company’s annual sales are currently about $20 million, but within five years, Marson expects that to reach $250 million by expanding beyond traditional waffles. The company is preparing to launch waffle sandwiches into retail and is considering entering other breakfast segments like French toast and pancakes in the near future. Everything is on the table for Marson Foods on its journey to becoming the next big player of the breakfast category.

This article is an excerpt from the August 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Marson Foods, click here.