As two baking powerhouses collide, scrappy upstarts and mom-and-pop players help turn crackers into a snack aisle staple. From innovations like shredded wheat, to the first mass-produced flavored cracker, these grocery store icons transform crackers into a global, multi-billion-dollar category.

When German immigrant Richard Hellmann bottles his deli's mayonnaise, he launches America's condiment revolution. But the real battle begins when a struggling restaurateur invents Italian dressing to save his Kansas City eatery, going head-to-head with an industry giant—just as an Alaskan camp cook creates a humble buttermilk sauce destined to take the crown: ranch.