Questions and Answers with Kimmi Wernli of Crazy Richard's #Partner

Recently, I got to check out some of the wholesome yet tasty snacks from a local Ohio brand, Crazy Richard's. (You can peep that post HERE.) 

I thought it would be fun to have a quick chat with the President of Crazy Richard's, Kimmi Wernli, to learn more about her brand and her vision. 

Q: Tell me more about your brand! I hear you’re from the Buckeye State as well! I’d love to know how you came up with the name Crazy Richard’s!

A: We are from the Buckeye State! We are so proud of it in fact that we even have a “Raised in Ohio” symbol on our new Wholly Rollies packaging. The name Crazy Richard’s comes from the fact that we are “crazy” about wholesome foods and clean ingredients. When Crazy Richard’s was founded 20 years ago, there was not a "Natural/Organic" section in the grocery store and many retailers thought that shoppers did not care about clean labels. But shoppers do care! And they have demanded more natural and wholesome foods over the years and we are proud to be one of the pioneers of this category.

Q: I understand you do a lot to give back. That's important to me as a consumer and human being. Tell me about your charitable efforts.

A: We at Crazy Richard's are "crazy" about helping others and established the Healthy Kids Happy Future project to give us a platform to do this. Peanut Butter is the number one most requested item in food banks nationwide - and we have lots of peanut butter! We donate to food banks and other charitable organizations who help support children's healthy and nutrition. We want to take an active role in fighting childhood hunger and we know that often starts with helping support families. Our employees also donate their time and energy to various organizations. We truly believe that one person or one small act can make a huge difference - in fact we are "crazy" enough to think that our family owned company can change the world!

Q: What do you do to support the environment? Do you have sustainable practices? 

A: Crazy Richard's is proud to be the first nut butter company and one of only a handful in the state of Ohio to receive the B Corp Certification! We support recycling programs and are actively against food waste. Our main product - peanut butter - is made from just one ingredient: Peanuts! We only source our peanuts from American peanut farmers. Importing peanuts from overseas may be cheaper, but in the long run it is more expensive for the environment. We are proud to support US agriculture and almost all of our charitable efforts are done locally in the US. Peanuts themselves are sustainable! The most sustainable nut there is, and one of the most sustainable sources of protein available on the market. Peanuts are a Zero Waste product - there is not a part of the peanut plant that goes unused. The outside shell and husk are ground up and used as animal feed or bedding, the peanut can be used in peanut butter or other foods or smashed into peanut flour and the oil extracted and refined into cooking oil. The stems and leaves of the peanut plant are pushed back into the soil in which they are grown because they are full of vitamins and are nitrogen fixing which means that they actually help replenish the earth for future crops!

Q: What are YOUR favorite snacking tips I can share? 

A: Snacking is a way of life for most Americans and we are on a mission to help Snack Frozen! Our new product Wholly Rollies is made from just a handful of ingredients and are ready to eat fresh from the freezer! We believe that food tastes better without preservatives, stabilizers or added sugars. Wholly Rollies are made with wholesome ingredients for the whole family and are my current favorite way to snack! Another snack tip is to pour a jar of Crazy Richard's creamy peanut butter in a squeeze bottle and keep on hand in case of a snack attack. Our PB is so creamy that a squeeze bottle is an easy and fun way to top anything with a little PB drizzle. Toast, yogurt, fruit, pancakes or even sweet potato fries!

Thanks so much for chatting with me, Kimmi! 

Be sure to check out all the awesomeness that Crazy Richard's has to offer on their website.