Business Update – March 25, 2023 58

First, thanks from the RyKrisp team who send in notes of support. It has been a difficult journey trying to get back in the market. Most of you reading this are familiar with our saga, and the fact that it will take a significant recovery from our legal battles to restart. We’ve won in the courtroom, but collecting is never easy and hasn’t gotten any easier. It reminds us of the days way back when having a paper route, and you needed to go door to door to collect payment.

The reason we haven’t written much is that the legal effort drones on, and the pace isn’t exactly swift. To recap, we are pursuing legal action against the defendant’s insurers in order to collect on the judgment we won. We lost a round last year when the presiding judge ruled that the defendant’s action was by choice and therefore not insurable. Our view was that this decision was worth appealing on matters of law, and we have done just that. We are in the middle of this appeal process.

That’s about it. We know it’s been years since we’ve been in production and appreciate the continued words of support from RyKrisp fans.

All the best,

The RyKrisp Team

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58 thoughts on “Business Update – March 25, 2023”

  • Reply ↓
    Bob Shields

    I looked for a substitute for Ry-Krisp, but the crackers I tried just didn’t cut it.

    I really hope you succeed with you legal fight.

  • Reply ↓
    Bill Linnerooth

    Have been missing Rykrisp since production was stopped. Hope for a return, original I hope. It’s been too long whithout.

  • Reply ↓
    Jane Marie

    I CANNOT WAIT till Ry Krisps are made AGAIN!!! It’s the ONLY cracker for a couple of dips I make. I agree with Annette there is NO SUBSTITUTE!! I was CRUSHED when I heard they were no longer being made. I would have stocked up. So glad you’re trying to get these made. Their SO good!!! Good luck with the lawsuit!! I look forward to when I can purchase them again!!!

  • Reply ↓
    KD

    I am thrilled to read in the Star Tribune that RyKrisp is coming back! I was saddened when it stopped being available and have hoped for it to come back. I look forward to a resolution of the legal issues you are dealing with so you are able to start production of this much loved (for decades) “cracker”. Best of luck in reaching a resolution soon!

    • Reply ↓
      tleavitt Post author

      Karolynn – to be correct, we are trying and have some huge hurdles. The legal effort is ongoing but we don’t want to underestimate the challenges. Thx, Ted L

  • Reply ↓
    Richard Sanders

    You go people! I LOVED RYKRISP. I am 75 yoa and grew up on RyKrisp. Like thousands of other fans I was devastated when I heard “Big Food” cast this perfectly healthy, tasty and good cracker aside because it wasn’t making it millions of dollars a year. Some things, like RyKrisp, don’t necessarily need to make millions of dollars, sponsor “stupid bowl” commercials staring goofballs. I loved RyKrisp and ate a few crackers every day. At 11 p.m. I wish I had a cupboard full of seasoned RyKrisp right now. Nothing else has ever taken its place. I am so happy to hear my favorite snack cracker will be back soon. Great with cream cheese and home made wild plum jelly!!!!

  • Reply ↓
    Frank Horvath

    I don’t mean to intrude or second guess your business plans but, as a former consumer and huge fan of RyKrisp crackers, why not try a different tack? Like, for instance, a strategic alliance with the family owned maker of Brenton Crackers (another staple in my home), Dare Foods? It could possibly be a huge win-win for both of your interests. Explain why I’m wrong please.

    With my full support and kind regards,

    Frank Horvath

    • Reply ↓
      tleavitt Post author

      Frank – We’d happily engage anyone interested in talking re partnership/taking the lead/whatever. To date, that opportunity hasn’t arisen. When we first went to contract manufacturing, we did a pretty thorough hike through the industry. As you suggest, we’re never averse to good ideas. Ted

  • Reply ↓
    D Meyer

    Can you not find investors and a new production partner and just begin again? You have the rights to produce correct? I know these funds may or may not ever be collected. Of course abother supporter of this product here! Fingers crossed!

    .

    • Reply ↓
      tleavitt Post author

      Having started a number of businesses, we know that one of the great risks is not having enough $$ to get going. Same is true with restarts. We absolutely have the rights and recipes and all that. It all adds up and we are pretty conservative now in this regard. Still hoping and working for a positive outcome. Ted L

  • Reply ↓
    Dennis Zaderaka

    Why not starting small like the original product did or manufacture in a country like Moldova or even Ukraine? I think there are enough customers that would buy stock or a convertible bond at low manageable rates. Distribution could be web-based. These European counties already eat rye bread. Moldova for example annual income on average is $2500/year. The EU might even help finance this or even US State Department like they did for the wine industry. Dennis 630.665.9964

    • Reply ↓
      tleavitt Post author

      Dennis – Thanks for comment. $$ is still a consideration and why we would first need the decks cleared. RyKrisp is a specialized product using specific equipment no matter where it is made (though that hard tack rye bread you see some places is a bit more basic). Thx again. Ted L

  • Reply ↓
    Gary W Smith

    Looking forward to someday getting to put some cream cheese onto my favorite cracker, the seasoned ry-krisp. Up until you went off-market, I had eaten these since about 1965.

  • Reply ↓
    Cracker Lover

    I have been looking all over for Ry Krisp in my local Minneapolis, MN grocery stores. I’m thrilled you are bringing Ry Krisp back to market. I loved the “seasoned” Ry Krisp and could eat it almost every day for lunch or a snack. I didn’t know it was started in the Twin Cities, which makes me beam with pride! Please make it taste the same as in my childhood circa 1960.
    It is such a wonderful, tasty memory!

    • Reply ↓
      tleavitt Post author

      Cracker Lover – We haven’t been on for many years. The updates here give you the history. We’d love to bring them back, but we have to win some very difficult legal proceedings first. Thought we had that when we won first legal case, but that was just Round 1. Thanks for being a supporter.

  • Reply ↓
    Michael Knoerzer

    The Ry-Krisp recipe, especially the caraway seasoned variety, is simply the best flat bread I have ever tried. The currently imported brands, even the Finnish brand with caraway, do not have the whole grain texture and flavor that I remember so well from Ry-Krisp. I hope you are able to go back into production. If you do, I suggest you look into exporting Ry-Krisp to Scandinavia. Wasabröd and Finn Crisp cannot compete with Ry-Krisp.

    • Reply ↓
      tleavitt Post author

      Rod – Funny but good question. The secret is in the manufacturing process, not the ingredients. The basic RyKrisp is so simple – rye flour, salt, caraway. The texture comes from the way it is manufactured. That is almost impossible to do at home. Ted L

  • Reply ↓
    Douglas W. Sullivan

    RyKrisp was my favorite for 30 years, I had to get used to Triscuits. If you EVER make more, I will be one of your biggest customers!
    The last 5 years been looking for you guys, little did I know it was a Lawsuit that kept me away.

  • Reply ↓
    Alan C Lohrum

    I am waiting as well as all the others for you to return to the industry. Yours is the best darn cracker in the cracker isle! I also purchase hydrox cookies online. Because you cannot find them in stores except for Cracker Barrel. I look forward to being in stock again.

  • Reply ↓
    Linda Campbell

    You are wonderful to keep putting up with what you have faced. Thank you from an avid RyKrisp fan who misses the cracker every day. If ever we fans could help, please put out word and I would bet you will be amazed by the response.

  • Reply ↓
    Randall Arndorfer

    When I was a child, my mom bought the seasoned RyKrisp and I fell in love with them. Being from Wisconsin, butter was a must. Products now are OK but really don’t measure up. Best of luck with your legal battles and I hope the RyKrisp will be readily available in the future !!!

    • Reply ↓
      tleavitt Post author

      Thanks for asking. RYKRISP is sort of on its own, but there are a number of rye cracker alternatives — WASA, RYVITA, FINNCRISP and the like. Each of them is more of a hard biscuit than having the taste and texture of RYKRISP. That is because they use a different manufacturing process. Ted L

  • Reply ↓
    Terrill Anthony Lambert

    Looking foreword to seeing your product off the market shelves and in my basket headed to my kitchen cupboard. In the meantime….What is the closest alternative to Ry Kris while you get sorted?