Brief update – June 20, 2018 102


To our fans:

The main message here is to say, “Thanks for your patience”.  As an update, we are still moving along with our legal efforts to be able to get back into production.  We receive hundreds of comments and appreciate every one of them.  The general theme is that RYKRISP is a unique cracker with its own character — we never get tired of that.  Thanks everyone for the comments!

Most of you are familiar with the particulars.  We needed to recover equipment taken in a contract manufacturing dispute.  After recovering the equipment, there was a counter-claim that stopped us from restarting production last year.  Anyone familiar with the legal system knows that it has many back-and-forth steps regarding evidence and testimony. It unfortunately isn’t like the TV shows where all is done in a 60–minute segment.  It is looking like the back-and-forth will be done this summer and hopefully lead to a resolution. We can only hope.

In the meantime, thanks to all for keeping the faith.

Ted Leavitt


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102 thoughts on “Brief update – June 20, 2018

  • Paul Engstrom

    I have had trouble finding RYKRISP in stores, and just now discovered that ConAgra had discontinued making it…goddam them! may they roast in hell forever! They are evil, and are part of the wretched American industrial fake-food producers that are sickening our people. God damn them to hell! I applaud your efforts to re-instate this fine real food and help save us from the crapshit modern fakefood loaded with sugar and corn syrup that fills the supermarket shelves these days.

  • Karen Juvet

    Please please find a way back into production. This was a dietary staple for me and I’ve tried without any luck for a replacement. Would love to hear you are back in production.

  • John C. McDonnell

    Ted- Thanks for the update. I absolutely LOVE RYKRISP. They were a huge part of our family as I was growing up. I have tried other similar crackers and nothing matches the flavor of RYKRISP. I sincerely hope that you are able to get things up and running again. If so, you will have a customer for life.

  • S. Kovach

    Breakfast & snack time has never been the same since RYKRISP disappeared from grocery shelves. We miss it!! There are NO replacements for that very special taste.
    We hope it will return soon.

  • Patty Snow

    Love my RYKRISP. Am so anxious for you to resume production. RYKRISP with cheese is my favorite lunch, no good substitute for your crackers.

  • Mrs. B

    I didn’t even know RYKRISP was gone. I went to buy some and just thought that none of the stores were carrying them. I finally just looked it up online and found out. It just can’t be. I grew up on RYKRISP. I have loved it ever since. I especially like the Sesame. It is just the perfect diet food. I would eat RYKRISP with cottage cheese. When I went to the store, there was this wanna be rye cracker, and it is just not the same. The imitator was like cardboard in taste and texture. Your cracker was absolutely perfect in taste, in texture, and nicely brown. For me, I wouldn’t care how expensive it cost to produce, I’m sure I would still buy it. I may not buy it on a regular basis, but I have bought it through the years when I had a notion to. It was disappointing when I couldn’t find it anymore. I am glad you are trying to bring it back. I hope you succeed. Thank you so much. Lots of childhood memories in this stuff, and remembering the magazine ads from the 70s and 80s.

  • Paula Winne

    I can’t wait until you are back in production. RYKRISP is the best! Nothing better than a RYKRISP with cottage cheese topped with a sprinkle of chives! Well, maybe there is–buttered RyKrisp crackers chopped with a soft boiled egg. Wow, hope you are soon back in production. Tried other brands but none is equal.

  • diselin

    I’ve been begging my grocer and finally resorted to looking on Amazon for your crackers. At least now I know why I cant get them. Hurry back we are waiting!

  • Carolee K

    Wow…really need u back in production…you make the best product by far. Everything g else tastes terrible… seriously…get’er going!!! I’ve eaten these crackers sine I was a kid…I’m 57.

  • Nancy

    I hope the legal system works swiftly so you can get RYKRISP back into production. My husband and I were sad to find that they weren’t in stores anymore. We need RYKRISP! Good luck and looking forward to being able to buy RYKRISP soon.

  • Cindy Meador

    Wow. Crackers in the court system. Who woulda guessed. When I was a young girl, these were our go-to cracker. And always were. Poof, they’re gone. Now, this is no diss to the cracker, but the San Diego Zoo had a 5 cent vending machine by the Giraffes. Crackers. Just like RYKRISP. But without the seasoning The Giraffes loved them. So did every kid who popped a nickel in and discovered the crackers were suspiciously like our favorite RYKRISP. YUM! Searched Google today trying to locate some. Failed. I’ll look forward to having my cracker and eating it too. Whenever that occurs.

  • Paul

    just another note to l to that I’m still waiting,tired of having to order the next best thing from overseas which often arrive with several broken crackers in each package
    take care

  • Juanita Mersereau

    Dear RYKRISP makers,
    I MISS MY CRACKER!!!!! I was thinking about my favorite lunch treat and wondering why I hadn’t seen one of the ingredients in SO LONG. Thank you to Google for getting me here. My favorite treat is SESAME RYKRISP, mayo, sliced mesquite smoked turkey, avocado, and alfalfa sprouts. There is no other cracker like RYKRISP and l have tried them all.
    Good luck to all of you and know that you are appreciated and missed
    Maybe it is time for a Go-Fund-Me?
    Love and respect,
    Juanita

    • tleavitt Post author

      Juanita – Thanks for the heartfelt thoughts. We haven’t Go-Funded because we’d rather ask for input when making crackers than when fighting legal battles. Hopefully, we’ll get to the end of that road soon and get on to the better part of the business — making and selling crackers. Thx, Ted Leavitt

  • Christine Hudson

    Hi Ted,
    Just received an alert from Amazon that RyKrisp crackers can be purchased by the case. Thinking about it and probably tried that many rye products since production stopped.

    I had severe allergies as a kid and these were the only things I could make a sandwich out of. You would think I would be sick of them but just the opposite. My question is are the the same natural, heathy goodness and are you representative of another company other than con Agra? They are one of my least favorite manufactures and do not buy their products as a rule. I’m with Paul-damn them to hell!

    • tleavitt Post author

      Christine, We bought the RyKrisp brand from ConAgra and were in the process of getting the RYKRISP you know into production when all this happened. Now we’re trying to clear the deck legally so we can get on again. That product via Amazon would be someone else. Glad you liked them. Great product. Ted Leavitt

  • Ulrike

    Thank you for the update. I had been eating these for lunch for about 20 years. I do miss them, ive not found anything even close.
    Good luck

    • tleavitt Post author

      Our legal pursuit has taken at least a year longer than expected. It is a painful process, but we haven’t forgotten you. It is just that small companies can’t have these things as side shows. We need to focus our attention. Thus, figure the legal stuff out first and then get back to crackers. Thanks for the continued interest. Ted

  • Dr. Victoria Vance

    Dear Ted Leavitt,

    I have used RYKRISP for maybe 40 years—they are the only cracker I like.
    I am willing to call and SHAME whomever, for holding up this process and denying us the one good tasting, healthy cracker brand.
    I have found that the squeaky wheel gets things done—it is the loud and brazen person who gets their issue discussed in staff meetings and elevators.
    I am a old feminist from the Seventies, and as you probably know, we don’t back down and we can get as pushy as need be.
    Why don’t you just give us all who have been waiting, a few phone numbers of people to confront about this issue—Perhaps after enough irate calls, they will wonder if this bullshit is worth it.
    Being retired now, I have the time and contrariness to make this a conquest.
    Heck, I’ll even write a letter to the Judge!

    Most Sincerely
    Dr. Victoria Vance

    • tleavitt Post author

      Victoria – I appreciate the effort and enthusiasm, but doing that would result in all sorts of claims by the defendant. Believe me, we’d take the help if we thought it made sense. Imagine the kitchen sink and all else being thrown at you as we continue to make our same basic claim. What we need is the judge to rule or send this to trial. We were told the courts were slow, and we believe those who told us. Thanks again for the enthusiastic support. We’ll take it when we think it makes sense. Ted

    • tleavitt Post author

      We need to win our lawsuit first. As a small company we don’t have the resource to fight on more than one front…but we’re on the case, so to speak. Thx, Ted Leavitt

  • Mary Spiel

    Please bring back RYKRISP, I still crave them and can’t find anything I like as well. Are they still made in Canada? Thanks!

    • tleavitt Post author

      Mary – For 100 years they were made in Minneapolis. When we bought the company, we only bought the intellectual property, etc., not the physical assets, so we had to leave the Minneapolis plant. We love Canada and Canadians but RYKRISP was never made there. Ted Leavitt

  • Linda

    I have been craving RYKRISP so badly. I used to buy a box at least three times a month. I miss them terribly. Bring them back, Please! Now my cheese has to sit on shameful awful crackers.

  • Karen Kuhne

    Like many others, I’ve been searching for RYKRISP for some time. My light dinner tonight, of cheddar cheese and soda crackers, caused me to wonder once again what happened to RYKRISP…now I know. It’s a tragedy when a wonderful brand and product disappear.
    I live in Tacoma, WA, where Nalley’s chili, potato chips and pickles began production 100 years ago! Now the pickles are a product of India… that’s right, India! Distributed by Bay Valley Foods in Oak Brook, IL.
    Pinnacle Foods Group in Cherry Hill NJ makes the chili, which has improved to the point where I buy it again after years of being too watery , with a different taste than the original we ate for so many years.
    Mind you, they’re both sold as “a Northwest favorite since 1918”.
    I sincerely hope that, whenever you begin production of RYKRISP, it will be faithful to the original we all loved!

    • tleavitt Post author

      Karen – Thanks for sharing. In answer to your comment, there is pretty much only one way to make RYKRISP, and we can’t imagine trying to find a different way to do it. As they say, “Don’t screw with something that works”. Working on getting back to that. Best, Ted Leavitt

  • JW

    I need them for camping. Best cracker out their for canoe camping and backpacking. Have tried several other crackers but they are all junk. Please get them back on the market. A fun recipe about 10 RYKRISP and peanut butter the size of your fist put into a quart zip lock break up the crackers and eat. Serves about 4 campers.

  • NWMack

    I have high hopes this favorite cracker will be back. I have looked for years, thinking my store just didn’t carry RYKRISP, then finally looked it up… Please come back! BEST CRACKER EVER!!!

  • Paula Ann

    This is an outrage! I love these crackers and I am devastated and very hungry without them!!!! There is nothing that compares or even comes close!

  • Francis R Kinehan

    Well I have been looking for RYKRISP in different stores for some time now. Sure hope you can start baking and selling them again.

    • tleavitt Post author

      Francis, Glad you found us out here and got a proper explanation. If signed up for updates, that is where you’ll be posted when things change. Thanks for being a fan. Ted L

  • Sara

    Ted,
    The very best of luck in restarting the factory! RYKRISP has a loyal following and we all are missing it very much! Trust the legal system for complicating and screwing up things. My fave is the seasoned RYKRISP and I looked at every store here to find it. Will wait impatiently til this is resolved and you are back in business!
    ps-Swedish and Norwegian grandparents and we grew up on flatbread and rye. Love it and perfect with cheese and anything else!

  • Pamela Borghi

    I loved seasoned RYKRISP and was so happy to hear they might be back on the market! I can’t find anything that tastes the same. Looking forward to an update!

    • tleavitt Post author

      Pamela – not sure when, but we certainly are trying. We truly appreciate the comments about RYKRISP being unmatched because that is important to us in any return. As they say, such comments “warm the cockles of our hearts”.

    • tleavitt Post author

      James – I will put a brief one out after these comments. The legal process grinds on slowly. Progress seems measured in inches. Still as committed, but we can’t seem to speed it up. Ted

    • tleavitt Post author

      Lisa – your best help is in what you are doing, which is keeping the faith and saying that RyKrisp crackers taste “pretty good” :-). One of the legal things that is of interest to the court is how much demand there is for our product. We assure them that there is a lot, and these comments are great. Thx! Ted

  • E. Hadley

    I absolutely love RYKRISP ! I look for them every time I go shopping just in case they have reappeared. Hoping that progress is being made!

    • tleavitt Post author

      I am hoping we are making progress, but it isn’t to anyone’s satisfaction. It seems to be the system. We are persevering and moving toward the proverbial goal line. Thanks for the support.

  • charles barnett

    I have tried all kinds of rye crackers from Sweden and the like but nothing comes close to the terrific flavor of your product especially the seasoned variety. I miss, horribly, the outstanding flavor of your product and will purchase no other. Please come back.

    • tleavitt Post author

      Charles, Many thanks for such kind words. We have got to get this lawsuit behind us first. The wheels of justice turn incredibly slowly and hopefully they can transform into wheels of production. All the best, Ted Leavitt

  • Nick davidson

    Hey Ted
    Long time no talk , it’s Nick Davidson
    One of the last few employees left when we sadly closed our doors . Felipa and myself were on the A line when you guys walked through . We were so excited to see you guys as there was a hope we would stay afloat lol anyway wondering how things are going ? Is this something you guys can get through I hope !! And as always any insight I can give or any questions about the product I would love to help I was the package coordinator till the last box was packed anyway hope to hear back have a great weekend
    Nick

  • pat grenville

    let me know when you are up and running again. my mother ate it with breakfast all my early years and I have not seen it for years. love to try it again, good luck to you, Pat