From specialty pizzas to award-winning kosher crackers, Z Crackers has carved a unique niche in the artisan food industry. In this interview, founder Pam Pollack shares the brand’s evolution, the impact of OU Kosher certification, and insights on sustainable growth. Gain valuable advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs on maintaining quality and engaging customers in a competitive market.

OU Kosher: Can you give us a general overview of Z Crackers and your role?

Pam Pollack: Keith and I were making specialty pizzas and selling them to stores in and around New York City since the early ’80s. We were discouraged because the refrigeration in the stores selling them was always problematic, so we took the dough we had created and baked it into crackers. The crackers won an award at the Fancy Food Show the first year we brought them out. We already had an established business, and our customers were happy to try something new from us.

Inspiration and Vision

OU Kosher: What inspired you to start Z Crackers, and what was the initial vision for the company?

Pam Pollack: I wouldn’t say we had a specific vision for the company. We just wanted to make great tasting and high-quality products. We wanted the name to be memorable, and I designed a strong and colorful label. So many of the specialty products were “precious” looking and tasting—and we wanted to create a FUN cracker. After all, people generally eat crackers when they’re entertaining and having fun. So why not make Z’s the “fun” cracker?

This is what our website says about Z Crackers:

Z Crackers. Crunchy. Addictive. Delicious. (And did we mention healthy?)
Cornmeal, wheat bran, and olive oil give Z’s some serious bite.
They’re great with everything or nothing. They’re great with everyone or no one.
Great for your toddler or your grandmother.
Born in Brooklyn but legal in all 50 states.
Try them with cheese, hummus, salsa, dips, peanut butter, honey, or melted chocolate.
It doesn’t really matter—it all works.
Served with martinis or marshmallows, you’ll have fun when you’re eating Z crackers.

Choosing OU Kosher Certification

OU Kosher: What led you to choose OU Kosher certification for your products, and what was that process like?

Pam Pollack: We wanted to have the gold standard as our kosher certification so that everyone could enjoy them.

Impact of Kosher Certification

OU Kosher: Has obtaining kosher certification had an impact on your retail sales or market reach?

Pam Pollack: It’s hard to know for sure, but I would have to say yes. Every certification is there to make our customers aware of our commitment to quality. We’re NON-GMO, Kosher, Vegan, all-natural, etc.

Differentiation in the Market

OU Kosher: How do Z Crackers differentiate themselves in a competitive market? What makes them unique?

Pam Pollack: As I mentioned, we are the FUN cracker. Our dough is made of a unique mixture of cornmeal, wheat bran, and flour. Our flavors are evocative of our travels around the world and taste great with the different cheeses and toppings available in the stores where they’re sold. We have pairing suggestions on our website for each flavor of crackers we sell.

Developing New Flavors

OU Kosher: Can you walk us through the process of developing a new cracker flavor—from concept to shelf?

Pam Pollack: It’s been about four years since we brought out the EVERYTHING GOOD flavor. We listened to our customers and trusted their tastes, and everyone loved the Everything flavor idea. With that in mind, we created Everything Good Z Crackers as a nod to our Brooklyn neighborhood bagels that we enjoy every Sunday morning. And it worked. Everyone likes them.

Sustainability and Local Sourcing

OU Kosher: What role does sustainability and sourcing local ingredients play in your business model?

Pam Pollack: We use recycled materials in our packaging and are committed to doing what we can for the environment.

Influence of Customer Feedback

OU Kosher: How has customer feedback influenced your products over the years?

Pam Pollack: We have always been responsive to our customers—they’re our eyes and ears out there in the marketplace. We rely on their feedback as they rely on our commitment to bringing them quality crackers. If our customers want to reach out to us, we’re always available by email – after all – they are the backbone of our business. Without satisfied customers, there is no business. 

Effective Marketing Strategies

OU Kosher: What marketing strategies have been most effective for growing Z Crackers?

Pam Pollack: Mostly we focus on maintaining quality and freshness. Our belief is that if we make a good product, it should sell itself. We also like to tell our story and let people know who we are. We started from scratch. We had no business training and with our passion for good food and the relationships we made by delivering our pizzas and crackers around NYC – we  grew into a Nationally distributed product. We used to take our two baby girls we adopted from Korea with us on deliveries in NYC. Now they are grown women – and we’re very proud! FYI – That wasn’t a marketing strategy! 

Changes in the Artisan Food Industry

OU Kosher: How has the artisan food industry changed since you started, and how have you adapted to those changes?

Pam Pollack: The artisan food industry has changed vastly since we began. There were only a couple of cracker brands out there in 2000, and mostly they were mass-market crackers sold on the grocery shelves. So many new and exciting brands have emerged over the years—and it really has become a category that never existed before. This is good for all the cracker makers and all the cracker lovers!

Advice for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs

OU Kosher: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in the food industry?

Pam Pollack: I would tell anyone to start small. Make your mistakes small. Learn your product, market, and customers well before you go full force into this. We never borrowed a penny to make our business grow. It’s been a very steady, natural growth over the years. I don’t know if that’s the wisest approach, but we never wanted to fail. We couldn’t fail because we raised our family on this business. Our intention was never to make it big and sell it. It’s been a lifestyle that worked for us and continues to work for us.

https://www.zcrackers.com/