I Thought Freeze-Dried Candy Was the Dumbest Idea Ever... Then It Became My #1 Seller
Why Freeze-Dried Candy?
I Thought It Was the Dumbest Idea Ever.
I'll admit it.
When people first started asking if I sold freeze-dried candy, I honestly thought it was one of the dumbest ideas I'd ever heard.
I wasn't trying to be rude.
I just didn't get it.
I didn't buy a freeze dryer to make candy.
My husband and I bought one because we wanted to preserve healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, complete meals, and ingredients. We were excited about reducing food waste, preparing for emergencies, and eating fewer preservatives.
Candy wasn't even on my radar.
Customer #1 "Do you have freeze-dried candy?"
"No..."
Customer #2 "Where's your candy?"
"Sorry we only sell the healthy stuff!"
"Do you have Skittles?"
"No..."
Eventually I realized...
Maybe I wasn't listening.
I went home and started researching.
I watched videos.
I joined Facebook groups.
I asked questions.
I even remember saying online how ridiculous I thought freeze-dried candy sounded...and let's just say a few experienced freeze-dryers were quick to tell me I might change my mind.
My first experiment was Skittles.
Simple. Classic. Safe.
Or so I thought.
That one experiment turned into a full-blown candy adventure.
Before long, my husband and I found ourselves wandering the aisles of the Largest Candy Store in Minnesota, filling our cart with anything that looked interesting.
We weren't grocery shopping anymore, we were conducting candy experiments!
These days, I don't have to drive across the country to find new candies to test. I usually order many of our favorites online since it's quick, convenient, and often less expensive.
If you're looking for a fun variety of candy to experiment with in your own freeze dryer, here's some of the candies I've purchased:
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.)
We tried...
Candies We Put to the Test
Skittles
Peach Rings
Jolly Ranchers
Nerd Clusters
Hi-Chew
Airheads
Charleston Chew
Milk Duds
Starburst
Bit-O-Honey
Gummy Bears
Gummy Worms
Marshmallows
Birthday Cake Marshmallows
Marshmallow Treats
Peanut Brittle
Taffy
Tootsie Rolls
Lifesavers
Lemonheads
Sweetarts
Mamba
Candy Corn
...and many more.
Some became customer favorites.
Others became valuable learning experiences. 😂
I discovered something unexpected.
I wasn't just trying different candies anymore.
I was trying to figure out how to make them "work."
Every candy reacts differently.
Some puff.
Some crack.
Some expand.
Some collapse.
Some surprise you.
Some disappoint you.
That challenge became one of my favorite parts of freeze-drying.
Then something happened that completely changed my opinion.
My first month selling freeze-dried candy brought in more than $1,500 in sales.
And that was before I had ever attended a single vendor event.
I remember staring at the numbers thinking...
"Wait...people REALLY like this stuff."
Even better than the sales were the people.
I had repeat customers who would stop by just to see what we'd experimented with next.
Some became friends.
Some became my unofficial taste testers.
I'd hand them a sample and ask,
"Okay...be honest.
What do you think?"
What started as...
One experiment...
became...
Over 35 different freeze-dried candy varieties.
I still don't think freeze-dried candy is health food.
I still believe fruits, vegetables, and nutritious meals are some of the best things you can preserve with a freeze dryer.
But I also learned something much bigger than how to make crunchy candy.
I learned that sometimes our customers see opportunities long before we do.
Thankfully...
I finally stopped saying "That's a dumb idea."
...and started listening.
If you're one of the people who kept asking me to make freeze-dried candy all those years ago...thank you.
You probably don't even realize it, but you helped shape my business into what it is today.
I was convinced nobody wanted freeze-dried candy.
I'm very happy to admit...
I was wrong.
Want to See Some of Our Candy Experiments?
Believe it or not, I actually recorded many of our early freeze-dried candy experiments. Some of the videos are a little rough (we've all got to start somewhere!), but they're a fun look back at how we tested different candies, learned what worked, and occasionally discovered what definitely didn't.
If you enjoy freeze-drying, candy experiments, product reviews, and following along on our journey, I'd love to have you join me on YouTube.
👉 Subscribe to Freeze-Dried Foodies on YouTube and come along for the adventure!
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