# Mary's Gone Crackers: Mary Waldner

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-07-10
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [1:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner#t=64) Introduction: Mary Waldner and the Origin of Mary's Gone Crackers
- [4:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner#t=248) Celiac Diagnosis and Early Gluten-Free Baking Experiments
- [13:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner#t=816) From Home Kitchen to Local Health Food Store Sales
- [21:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner#t=1277) Finding a Co-Packer and Adapting Manufacturing Equipment
- [28:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner#t=1686) Raising Seed Funding and Writing the Business Plan
- [40:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner#t=2436) Venture Capital Conflict and Loss of Control
- [56:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner#t=3416) Acquisition by Kameda and Company Exit

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Mary's Gone Crackers (product)
- Kameda (company)
- Bechtel Corporation (company)
- UNFI (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Target (company)
- Cuisinart (tool)
- U.S. Bank (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Founder Feature: Amie Kesler of Carolyn's Krisps](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-19-founder-feature-amie-kesler-of-carolyns-krisps) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Morgan Murdock of Unbothered Foods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-05-02-founder-feature-morgan-murdock-of-unbothered-foods) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Becca Wright of Piedmont Pennies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-01-17-founder-feature-becca-wright-of-piedmont-pennies) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Leanne Viola and Jesse Barruch of WHIMS](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-10-04-founder-feature-leanne-viola-and-jesse-barruch-of-whims) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [354 - Beyond the dieline with the incomparable Jake Karls from Mid-Day Squares](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-07-22-354-beyond-the-dieline-with-the-incomparable-jake-karls-from-mid-day-squares) (People of Packaging)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-10-marys-gone-crackers-mary-waldner. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.