When Karen Getz, a former dairy farmer and award-winning cheesemaker in Vermont, struggled to find gluten-free crackers worthy of pairing with her cheese, she decided to create her own. Her ingredient of choice was buckwheat, sourced from a sixth-generation family farm in northern Maine. Her story is one of both commercial success and supporting the local economy.
As a keen baker, Karen had already experimented with buckwheat flour. However, it wasn’t until she visited northern Maine with her husband that she truly recognized its potential. As she saw the fields of buckwheat growing in Aroostook County, the idea for a food business centered around this seed began to take root.
In 2015, Karen and her family relocated to Waterville, Maine and Maine Crisp Co. – now rebranded as Better with Buckwheat – was born. In the early days, the business operated out of her home kitchen. Today, it occupies an 18,500-square-foot facility in Winslow, employs 30 people, and is the only U.S. producer of certified gluten-free crisps (crackers with nut, berry, and seed inclusions).
Karen’s faith in buckwheat has clearly paid off, resulting in products that not only taste great but also contribute positively to human health, the environment and Maine’s agricultural sector.
Good for Health
Widely regarded as a superfood, buckwheat is naturally gluten-free and grain-free. Despite its name, it is a fruit seed that has more in common with strawberries and rhubarb than wheat.
The stated health benefits of buckwheat are extensive. As a low-glycemic food, it releases energy slowly and steadily, helping with blood sugar levels. It’s a good source of prebiotic fiber, beneficial for gut health and digestion, and it contains naturally occurring antioxidants that are believed to help reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Described as a “complete protein,” it provides all nine essential amino acids, plus it’s full of vitamins such as magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and manganese.
However, buckwheat’s appeal goes beyond health and nutrition. According to company CEO Lewis Goldstein, while buckwheat’s gluten-free properties were the initial draw, its distinctive taste has played a key role in the company’s success.
“Karen realized that it [buckwheat] has an amazing, unique taste that is different from other gluten-free flours out there, like rice or corn. Or even some wheat or almond flour. And that unique taste has been part of what’s really helped us grow since 2015.”
Good for the Environment
As a regenerative crop, buckwheat also benefits the soil and boosts biodiversity. Often used as a cover crop, it is known for being fast-growing, low-maintenance and requiring no tilling. According to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS), buckwheat is “fantastic for weed suppression, thrives in low fertility soils, makes phosphorus more available in the soil and attracts beneficial insects and pollinators.”
Highly adaptable, buckwheat is also a climate-resilient crop. Goldstein explains that the Tartary buckwheat the company uses exclusively for its crisps is especially suited to colder climates. A study is currently underway at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) to further investigate its value as a food crop for the Northeast, with a particular focus on its resistance to drought and pests.
Good for the Local Economy
Besides producing a delicious and nutritious product, the company’s use of buckwheat delivers for the local economy. By sourcing buckwheat from Aroostook County in northern Maine, Better with Buckwheat directly supports the state’s agricultural sector. This support extends throughout the supply chain. As Goldstein explains, the company’s strong partnership with the sixth-generation Bouchard Family Farm, its first and primary supplier of buckwheat, is a win-win.
“They’ve grown while we’ve grown. We’ve outgrown the land they own. So, they’re now working with other farmers in the north [of Maine], helping them transition from other cover crops which may not pay as much as buckwheat or that may not be regenerative.”
With grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state of Maine, the Bouchard family has been able to build a new milling operation and further expand its operations.
New Product Categories Beckon
Federal and state grants have also played a part in Better with Buckwheat’s success. The funds have enabled them to automate some of their more time-consuming manufacturing processes while hiring additional staff to support their expansion. But they have no plans to stop there.
Having grown sales revenue from $450,000 in 2022 to an impressive $5.9 million in 2025, the company is now setting its sights on reaching $80 million by 2030. This vision includes expanding into four or five innovative buckwheat categories beyond just crackers and crisps. “Maybe it’s bars, maybe it’s tortilla chips, maybe it’s cookies,” says Goldsmith.
Whatever direction Better with Buckwheat takes, we look forward to seeing and tasting what comes next!