Hardware Podcasts

Mary's Gone Crackers: Mary Waldner

How I Built This · 10 Jul 2023 · 1h 06m

What this episode covers

Mary Waldner, a psychotherapist diagnosed with celiac disease at age 43, created Mary's Gone Crackers to solve her own dietary needs, eventually growing the brand into a multi-million dollar business sold in major retailers. Working with her husband Dale, she navigated the technical challenges of manufacturing a sticky, gluten-free dough, including adapting cookie depositor machinery and inventing custom flattening equipment. The company secured initial funding from friends and family, faced intense pressure from venture capitalists who attempted to take control, and was ultimately acquired by Japanese rice cracker manufacturer Kameda for approximately $45 million.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Kameda, Bechtel Corporation, UNFI, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target
Products
Mary's Gone Crackers
Tools
Cuisinart
Also
U.S. Bank

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