Mary’s Gone Crackers sells products primarily in the United States and Canada, where the brand is sold as Mary’s Organics. But they are also selling in Japan, Europe and Latin America.

“A lot of my experience is international, so we’re very focused on developing opportunities in that area,” said Michael Finete, chief executive officer. “Right now, there’s an awful lot to do here first. In terms of prioritizing, we’re focused on the US market where we see a huge opportunity. We’re leaders in the Canadian market, so it’s a very important market to us.”

Company leaders are interested in expanding the reach of the brand, available in retail, club and digital channels, into convenience stores as consumers continue to expand their snack habits. 

“We feel that it’s a real opportunity for consumers looking for a healthier snack, especially in c-stores. We want to be the brand that provides that healthier snack option to consumers on the go,” Finete said.

The company recently revamped its packaging to highlight the products’ organic status. The company takes pride in its healthful better-for-you (BFY) attributes, which are numerous. Products are organic, free from gluten, wheat, nuts, eggs and dairy, Non-GMO Project verified, certified kosher, and the crackers are vegan. The Mary’s Gone Kookies are not vegan as they contain honey. All products are baked, and the company sources its palm oil sustainably.

“We’re about trying to do things the best way possible, offering healthy products,” Finete said. “All of our products are organic, and that’s very important to us. We want to make sure that when consumers think about us, they think of organic, and they feel comfortable knowing that they’re consuming the best products possible, in terms of ingredients, in terms of their health, in terms of their family’s well-being. That’s really what we want.”

The brand’s most loyal customers are Generation X and baby boomers because many of their fans have been with the brand from the early years, Finete said. The company is working on marketing to younger consumers to expand the customer base as many millennials and Generation Z consumers are particularly interested in healthy snacks.

While wearing their BFY credentials proudly, company leaders know that if customers don’t like the product, it’s all for nothing. They aim to bring the fun and taste along with health attributes.

“If we’re giving them nutritional cardboard, that is not what we’re about,” Finete said. “We’re giving them the tastiest most flavorful products, and we don’t want them to sacrifice anything. Especially as we get into more indulgent products, like our Kookies. We simply don’t compare them to other gluten-free products. Instead, we compare them to leading products in the overall category including non-gluten-free products to make sure we can compete, and we have an even better taste than any product that’s on the market.”

Sustainability is important to Finete with a family history in the fishing industry, and he’s spent a good deal of his career working with farmers in previous jobs at Sensient Natural Ingredients and SupHerb Farms.

“I grew up in the food industry, in tuna fishing,” he explained. “My family’s been in that industry for generations, and sustainability or the lack thereof has really damaged that industry as well as our communities and our oceans. Sustainability is something I take very personally. Also, throughout my career I’ve worked very closely with family farmers who have always made me feel like we grew up together.”

Working to preserve farmland through regenerative agriculture is the best path to do business, he said. It’s important to the company as well as their consumers.

“I feel like we’re doing things the right way, really connecting with the actual farms, with the real agriculture we can touch and feel and walk on and make sure we do everything possible to preserve that,” he said.

Finete sees Mary’s Gone Crackers as an authentic brand, and he aims to be as transparent with consumers as possible.

“The company has remained faithful to its initial values of making great products from organic, gluten-free ingredients with sustainability at our core,” he said. “We want to be an open book for consumers in terms of, ‘Hey, we’re doing things the right way, and we want others to know about it.’ The more you know, the better off we all are.” 

Ninety percent of the foods Mary’s Gone Crackers produces are the company’s own brands, but leaders are pursuing new avenues as they’ve been able to double their capacity. That includes co-manufacturing and private label products.

“It’s a relatively new initiative for us, like many other things are,” Finete said. 

So far, the outside products they have produced have all been organic and gluten-free. The plant is generally free of allergens, although they do produce products with sesame seeds and soy.

With only two major allergens to manage, cross contamination is generally not an issue. But producing organic, gluten-free crackers and cookies means it’s not easy to switch out suppliers as they need to be carefully vetted.

“It has to go through a certification process. That’s time-consuming because that can take six weeks to three months just to get a new supplier in,” said Nate Lindsay, vice president of operations. “They have to go through the certification process, so it limits you as far as having the ability to make a change. We don’t have that luxury.”

This article is an excerpt from the October 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Mary's Gone Crackers, click here.