SOPHISTICATED SNACK

Maker at heart and dietetic professional Nancy Potter says she decided to create her eponymous crackers for one reason: cheese. “Crackers just felt right; the cheese here just keeps getting better and better,” Potter confesses.

Product

Before introducing their handmade crackers to the local market, Nancy and son Pete Potter Weber spent months perfecting their recipes. Experimenting with mild and bold cracker flavors to enhance the cheese-eating experience led to the current flavors: white, winter wheat, caramelized onion, six seed, Applewood smoked and rye.  Also in their repertoire are gluten-free crackers, along with apple and cranberry hazelnut crisps. And later this month artisan oyster crackers debut in a few of their classic flavors.

Philosophy

“We knew we wanted our crackers to be as healthy as possible and organic,” Potter says.  No easy task, but all of their products are certified organic and made from whole grains, milk, butter, nuts and fresh produce.  They also honor their go-local commitment by locally sourcing ingredients. Their whole wheat and rye flours are from Great River Organic Milling in Fountain City and Lonesome Stone Milling in Lone Rock. Milk and butter come from Sassy Cow Creamery in Columbus.

And their eye toward sustainability includes a human component, too. Since opening in 2006, Potter’s Crackers has become a cornerstone business within Madison’s Business Enterprise Center, thanks to its hiring of 14 employees through Common Wealth Development, a youth business mentoring program.

Passion

Originally from La Crosse, Potter owned New Glarus Bakery for 25 years, and knew she wanted to start a business with Weber, a food scientist and UWMadison graduate. “We just like making things, and we just like making crackers,” she says. Potter also loves seeing familiar faces at the local farmers’ markets, and says she owes her success to perseverance and an incredibly supportive community. “Our crackers add joy to people’s lives, and offer a piece of Wisconsin.”

Potter’s Crackers are available at local cheese stores, restaurants, farmers’ markets and wineries and online at potterscrackers.com.