Have you ever wondered how freeze dried candy is made? At Frizzle, we transform those classic candies into light, crunchy, and crave-worthy treats- and we are pulling back the curtain to show you exactly how it’s done! From prep to packaging, here is a behind the scenes look at what makes Frizzle’s freeze dried candy so unique.
Step 1: It Starts with the Candy You Know and Love
We begin with the original form of your favorite sweets- think Skittles, Caramel M&M’s, Red Hots, Starburst Mini’s, Lemon Heads, etc. These iconic candies are the stars of the show, and we don’t add any extra ingredients before, during, or after freeze drying. What you see is what you get, just in a crunchier, lighter, and wildly addicting form!
Step 2: Prepping for the Freeze Dryer
In our “wet prep” area (which, ironically, isn’t wet at all), we carefully place all the candies on trays and stack them onto large, industrial racks. Every piece is spread out for optimal freeze drying- no clumps, no mess. This step is critical, especially for delicate or irregular shaped candies like Peach Rings.
Step 3: Into the Industrial Freeze Dryers
We operate eight commercial freeze dryers, each capable of handling hundreds of pounds at a time. Once loaded, each candy batch runs between 4-6 hours, depending on the candy. Each candy variety has it’s own custom “recipe” based on heat time, suction levels, and the candies texture. This level of detail ensures consistency and crunch in every bag.
Some candies are more complicated than others- we’ve learned through trial and error. For example, some gummies need just the right amount of heat, or they’ll explode into huge, airy, blobs (yes, it’s as chaotic as it sounds).
Step 4: Quality Checks All the Way Through
Our team inspects every batch before, during and after the manufacturing process. Dressed in full PPE (lab coats, gloves, hair and beard nets), our staff ensures each batch meets our strict quality standards. We are an FDA and SQF certified facility, which means we meet the highest food safety and cleanliness requirements in the industry.
Step 5: Packaging by Hand- or by Ruby
Once dried, the candy heads to the packaging room. Depending on size and fragility, it is either packaged by hand, or with help from Ruby- our high speed packaging machine. Ruby can bag up to 150 bags per minute, but our team decides what method to use based on the candy’s structure.
Step 6: Shipping to You
After packaging, products are moved to our dedicated shipping warehouse, where they are organized and sent out to customers and retail stores across the country. We operate out of two manufacturing facilities and one shipping location, allowing us to scale efficiently while keeping quality top of mind.
What Makes Frizzle Different?
At Frizzle, we don’t outsource the work- we own the process from start to finish. From having our own manufacturing facility to employing a team that genuinely loves what they do, we believe that care shows up in every crunchy bite.
We also develop original products like Krackles, our exclusive cracking candy that fizzes like Pop Rocks and melts in your mouth. We now even have a clean version- free from artificial dyes and flavors.
Fun Facts from the Frizzle Team
Biggest Fail? Heating up gummies TOO much- they explode into a giant puffy mess.
Team Favorite? Most of our employees can’t resist the zesty crunch of our Lemon Bursts.
What Can’t Be Freeze Dried? Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, and Licorice. The candies contain ingredients that resist freeze drying.
How Do We Test New Products? We use a small industrial freeze dryer we lovingly call The Big Baby, where we test new flavors and candies based on customer requests and creative hunches.
Step into our facility and you will hear music playing, machines humming, and the laughter of our team as they prep, package and perfect every product. It's a vibrant, upbeat space where candy dreams are born- one freeze dried piece at a time!