Mary’s Gone Crackers is a bona fide sensation. They’ve sold over 8 million boxes of their iconic gluten-free crackers in over 10,000 stores across the nation, and the sales seem to only be growing. They’ve done exceedingly well for a small company from Northern California, and actually started out as a passion project.

The company was born when the founder, Mary Waldner, was sick. Although, she didn't quite know what the problem was. From an early age, Waldner felt sharp and discomforting pains in her stomach after eating a meal, and it only grew worse over the years, leaving her tired, anxious, and depressed.

Waldner went to doctors and medical specialists, but they couldn’t seem to figure out what was wrong. They thought her immense stomach pains were psychosomatic, a false illness she invented in her head, making her feel even worse. The pain that Waldner felt was real, but medical experts didn’t believe her.

Fast forward to the mid 90s and Waldner is at an appointment with her chiropractor when an extraordinary discovery was made, pinpointing that she had celiac disease.

Celiac disease: What does that mean?

For those that don’t know, celiac disease is a digestive disorder where the lining in the body’s small intestine becomes damaged from consuming foods with gluten. To the people affected by this disease, gluten can damage their intestines and make it difficult for their bodies to absorb vital nutrients, such as calcium and iron. Symptoms can range from mild digestive problems to intense abdominal pain. Many cases go undiagnosed, but doctors and medical experts believe that at least 3 million Americans have celiac disease.

How Mary’s Gone Crackers started out

After her medical discovery, Mary Waldner completely removed gluten from her diet and instantly began to feel relief. She found that she had energy to do things again and her depression and anxiety fell away.

Waldner quickly started baking gluten-free treats such as pretzels and pancakes. One day while baking, she made her famous gluten-free crackers for the first time. They were made of organic ingredients like quinoa, brown rice, sesame seeds, and flax seeds. Waldner didn’t realize it yet, but this was the start of Mary’s Gone Crackers.

Waldner brought her gluten-free crackers along with her everywhere she went, becoming her favorite go-to snack. They became a hit at friends parties, paired with an assortment of fine cheeses and wines.

Waldner had to make more and more crackers to keep up with her friends’ demands. She estimates that she made at least 30,000 crackers by hand before she officially started production. With her family and friends by her side, Mary’s Gone Crackers officially launched in the early 2000s, transforming into a fully operational and profitable business.

Tell me about the food that Mary’s Gone Crackers makes

Mary’s Gone Crackers is proud to say that all of their products are gluten-free, however, they didn’t stop there. Their entire baking facility is gluten-free too, to ensure there is no cross contamination of ingredients. But there are more reasons why Mary’s Gone Crackers is a great choice—let’s explore them:

Almost every product of Mary’s Gone Crackers is USDA certified organic.
Mary’s Gone Crackers are Non-GMO and have been verified by The Non-GMO Project.
Absolutely no animal products or byproducts were used to make Mary’s Gone Crackers. That’s right! Mary’s Gone Crackers is vegan-friendly.
If you’re observing a kosher diet and looking for a tasty and healthy snack, look no further. Mary’s Gone Crackers is certified kosher.
Mary’s Gone Cracker believes in fair trade. Whenever possible, Mary’s Gone Crackers works with manufacturers that support the rights of women and trans workers.

Mary’s Gone Crackers cares

The world can be a complicated place full of things that seem wrong. Mary’s Gone Crackers sees injustices and actively tries to combat them by allying themselves with some noble causes:

Food and Water Watch champions healthy food and clean water for all. They stand up to corporations that put profits before people, and advocate for a democracy that improves people’s lives and protects the environment.

Center for Food Safety is a non-profit environmental advocacy group that works to protect the health of people and the environment by controlling the use of harmful food production practices.

Slow Food is a worldwide network of over 100,000 people committed to ensuring food is produced and distributed in ways that support people and the planet.

The Garden Project is a San Francisco based organization that is working to help former offenders with job training through gardening. Connecting people back to the earth reconnects them with their humanity.

Organic Farming Research Foundationis an inspiring organization that supports and encourages organic farming practices, with ample resources and research.