Mary’s Gone Crackers wants to take new product development to the next level with what Michael Finete, chief executive officer, describes as an innovation pipeline.

“What’s very important to us is not going to customers and saying, ‘We have a new product, what do you think?’ It’s going to customers and saying, ‘We have an innovation pipeline. Starting now, these are the products we’re doing. These are the ideas we have for the future; this is what we’re looking at long-term. Let’s sit down and develop this together,’ ” he explained. 

He said he’s not interested in transactional relationships but rather partnerships with customers to increase category volume. Some conversations have already led to initiatives that are moving forward.

The company has been working on improving its existing lines by enhancing taste and texture as well as developing new products.

“We’re trying to do things the best way possible, so we’ve got opportunities both with our Kookies and with our Cheezee lines,” Finete said. “It’s not only about improving our current products but it’s also coming out with new flavor options.”

In addition to in-house R&D efforts, Mary’s Gone Crackers is working with partners to make improvements. 

“I previously worked with a flavor company, Sensient, so I know very well how flavor and ingredient companies work,” he said. “I know what capabilities they have, and I know how to leverage those capabilities.”

Roger Yoder, vice president of marketing, said the cracker and cookie producer can also turn to parent company Kameda Seika Co. for assistance.

“They’re one of the biggest rice cracker manufacturers in the world,” he said. “They have a lot of R&D capability, a lot of knowledge.”

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.