Mary’s Gone Crackers, a Gridley, Calif.-based maker of organic, vegan and gluten-free foods, says Kameda USA Inc., a subsidiary of Kameda Seika Co. Ltd., Japan’s largest manufacturer of rice crackers, has acquired 77.8% of the company. As part of the agreement, cofounder and chairman, Mary Waldner, and cofounder and CEO, Dale Rodrigues, will remain in their posts, and the two will continue to lead day-to-day operations, strategy and product innovation for the company.

“We’re thrilled to join forces with the Kameda Seika family, and feel privileged that the team recognizes Mary’s Gone Crackers as a brand it believes has significant potential for continued expansion in the U.S. and abroad,” says Waldner.

According to Rodrigues, the relationship was attractive to him and Waldner because Kameda Seika demonstrated a commitment to preserving Mary’s Gone Crackers’ passion for making organic, gluten-free and nonGenetically Modified Organisms (GMO) foods “that are delicious and impact the mind, body and planet in a positive way.” All Mary’s Gone Crackers products are created with the company’s Conscious Eating philosophy in mind, which it says will remain unchanged moving forward.

“Kameda brings a wealth of operational expertise to this partnership, and there are many synergies we’re excited to explore,” says Rodrigues. “For the first time in the history of Mary’s Gone Crackers, we have a partner who supports our vision and core values. We feel confident this new path will allow us to bring new products and innovations to the market with greater speed and agility, and are eager to expand our business with our original vision intact.”

Created by Waldner after learning she suffered from celiac disease, Mary’s Gone Crackers’ snacks include its signature super-crispy gourmet seed crackers, pretzels and cookies. The products feature whole, nutritious, unique ingredients, and are gluten-free and organic without trans-fats or dairy. The company recently announced two new cracker flavors, Super Seed and Hot ‘n Spicy Jalapeño, and has additional new product lines planned for later this year.

For more information about Mary’s Gone Crackers, visit www.marysgonecrackers.com.