We recently had the chance to connect with Sarah Davis & Qudduws Ware and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah Davis, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
The thing we’re most proud of building is the community around Crisp & Chew.
Every cookie we bake carries more than flavor — it carries connection. What started as sharing sweet treats has grown into a network of support, joy, and belonging. Our customers have become friends, cheerleaders, and part of our journey. We’ve seen our cookies make their way into family traditions, celebrations, and everyday pick-me-ups, and through that, we’ve built relationships that mean everything to us.
That community is the foundation of Crisp & Chew. It’s the people who believe in us, who share our cookies with love, and who remind us that cookies can be more than dessert — they can be a way to bring people together. That unseen bond is what we’re most proud of, and it inspires us every day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Sarah: Hi, I’m Sarah Davis.
Qudduws: And I’m Qudduws Ware. Together, we’re the husband-and-wife team behind Crisp & Chew.
Sarah: This whole thing actually started because I was on a mission to bake the perfect oatmeal cookie—for Qudduws, of course, since it’s his favorite.
Qudduws: Best mission ever, by the way. Years of taste-testing cookies? I wasn’t complaining.
Sarah: (laughs) But after all that experimenting, we realized oatmeal cookies really don’t get the spotlight they deserve. So we decided to change that.
Qudduws: In 2024, we launched Crisp & Chew—cookies with crispy edges, chewy centers, and flavors that go way beyond the ordinary.
Sarah: Think Classic Oatmeal, but also fun twists like Peach Cobbler, Lemon Raspberry, Cookie Butter, and our recent smash hit, Dubai Chocolate.
Qudduws: Since then, things have grown faster than we ever imagined—local pickup, wholesale and retail partnerships, nationwide shipping…
Sarah: …and now we’re gearing up to open our very own retail store before the end of the year, which we’re beyond excited about!
Qudduws: At the end of the day, it’s simple—we just love making cookies that bring people joy.
Sarah: Always crispy, always chewy, and hopefully with flavor that is unforgettable!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
Sarah: For me, it was definitely my parents. They showed me what consistency and dedication look like—just showing up every day and doing the work, even when it’s not glamorous. That’s something I’ve carried into Crisp & Chew.
Qudduws: Same here. My mom showed me the importance of resilience, that even when things don’t go your way, you get back up and try again.
Sarah: And honestly, I’ve learned a ton from Qudduws, too. He’s really good at seeing the bigger picture and keeping us moving forward when I get lost in the details of perfecting a recipe.
Qudduws: And Sarah’s taught me patience—because nothing teaches you patience like testing cookie recipes for months. (laughs)
Sarah: True! At the end of the day, we’ve both had amazing role models growing up, but we’ve also taught each other a lot about what it means to work hard together.
When did you last change your mind about something important?
Sarah: For me, it was about letting go of the idea that everything had to be perfect before we put it out into the world. I used to think every recipe, every detail, had to be absolutely flawless before sharing it. But I’ve learned that sometimes progress matters more than perfection—you can refine as you go.
Qudduws: I’d say for me, it was realizing that we didn’t have to keep Crisp & Chew small to keep it special. At first, I worried that growing too fast might take away from the heart of what we do. But I changed my mind once I saw that scaling up actually meant more people could share in the joy of what Sarah was creating—and that’s been really rewarding.
Sarah: It’s funny, we both had to shift our perspectives in different ways—me on the small details, him on the big picture—but it’s balanced us out.
Qudduws: Exactly. And it’s those changes of mind that keep Crisp & Chew moving forward.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Sarah: For us, it’s community. Crisp & Chew started in our kitchen, but it grew because people believed in us, supported us, and kept coming back. We never want to lose that sense of connection with the people we bake for.
Qudduws: Exactly. Whether it’s chatting with customers at a pickup location, writing a handwritten note in a box we ship out, or soon—welcoming people into our retail store—we want everyone to feel like they’re part of the family.
Sarah: And that value shows up in how we treat each other, too. We want Crisp & Chew to always feel like a place where kindness, respect, and genuine care are baked into everything we do.
Qudduws: At the end of the day, cookies are about joy. Protecting that spirit of community and care is non-negotiable for us.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Sarah: I’d say I’m doing one of the things I was born to do. Baking has always been a love of mine, but for years I followed the “safe” path—the things I thought I was supposed to do. A close friend and business mentor once told me, “You’ve jumped out of the window for others plenty of times—it’s time to jump for yourself.” That advice really stuck. It gave us the courage to take a leap with Crisp & Chew, and especially now as we open our first retail location. Win, lose, or draw, we believe in ourselves enough to take a chance—and we’re hopeful our community will respond with the same love they’ve always shown us.
Qudduws: Same here. I wasn’t told to build a cookie brand—no one could have predicted this! (laughs) But I’ve always had that entrepreneurial drive, and I’ve always loved creating spaces where people can connect. Crisp & Chew gives me the chance to do both, and doing it side by side with Sarah makes it even more meaningful.
Sarah: At the end of the day, it feels like we’ve finally stopped following someone else’s script.
Qudduws: Exactly. This isn’t what we were told to do—it’s what we were meant to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.crispnchew.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crispnchew/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crispnchew
Image Credits
Kelly Phillips Photo
