Karen is an award-winning specialty food innovator and local farm advocate with over 25 years of experience in regional food systems, including retail channels and distribution.
A lifelong passionate maker of great food.
A former bread baker, farmstead cheesemaker, and creator of a line of gluten-free crackers and crisps, Karen has developed numerous specialty food products that have won acclaim at the American Cheese Society, Raw Milk Cheese Presidium, the Specialty Food Association’s Sofi Awards, and Natural Products Expo’s NEXTY Awards.
An industry leader with 25 of hands-on experience crafting and selling specialty food in the Northeast
2002 - 2012
Karen created a line of farmstead raw-milk cheeses in Bridport, VT winning awards at American Cheese Society, Raw Milk Cheese Presidium, and Slow Food Italy. Featured in numerous magazine and print publications including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Saveur and the World Cheese Book
2014
In 2014 she launched Maine Crisp Company, scaling from a home kitchen to a leader in the artisanal snack market, establishing a national presence in over 3,000 specialty and chain retailers over the next 10 years, including Kroger, Wegmans, Murray’s Cheese, and Whole Foods
2014 - 2025
Karen developed 5 flavors of gluten-free crisps using Maine-grown buckwheat including Cranberry Almond, Wild Blueberry Walnut, Cinnamon Maple, Savory Fig & Thyme, and Olive & Za’atar winning industry-recognized Sofi and NEXTY Awards and features in Women’s Health, Bon Appétit, Boston Globe, The Kitchn, Culture Cheese, GFF Magazine, and MSNBC
2023 - 2025
The Maine Crisp product line rebranded as Better with Buckwheat, as Karen created a new gluten-free cracker line with three new flavors: Sea Salt, Everything, and Rosemary & Herbs that launched nationwide
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