The freeze-dried food market is predicted to reach $71.7 billion by 2030. On the forefront of this growth, Sow Good has harnessed the power of its proprietary freeze-drying technology and product-specialized in-house manufacturing facility to transform traditional candies into novel confectionaries.
Candy Industry Senior Editor Liz Parker Kuhn touched base with Sow Good CEO & Co-Founder Claudia Goldfarb, to chat about the brand's beginnings and what's next for it.
Liz Parker Kuhn: How did Sow Good get its start?
Claudia Goldfarb: Prior to starting Sow Good, my husband and I launched a pet treat and food business back in 2010. This was when we first began experimenting with freeze drying, as we recognized [its power early on]. The machines that we were working with at the time were inefficient and constantly breaking down, which prompted us to take everything apart and reassemble them until they could meet our rigorous demands. As you can imagine, this gave us deep insight into the freeze-drying process and technology.
When we sold our pet food business nearly a decade later, Ira and I were not ready to retire. We had a 7 year non-compete in pet so we anything pet-related was out. Thinking through our strengths and skill sets, we realized that we wanted to do something really special with all of the expertise we had gained in freeze drying and food manufacturing. Originally, we were just going to focus on building the best possible freeze driers for food manufacturing, but quickly decided we wanted to shake up a new category with our powerful, proprietary technology. Without getting too technical, our machines achieve 300 microns of vacuum pressure compared to the 2,000 microns used by many competitors. This significant difference enables us to create the hyper-crunchy, flavorful products that we’re known for. In early 2023, we identified a massive opportunity to disrupt the candy space, which was largely driven by what we were seeing on TikTok. The rest was history!
Now we’re at the forefront of pioneering freeze-dried candy from a TikTok trend to an everyday product. The consumer demand for our candy has been overwhelming. To put things into perspective, in Q2, we surpassed projections, with over 7.5 million units produced. We're also on track to be in over 10,000 stores by the end of 2024, as well as launching in Europe by the end of the year. These milestones are a testament to the high-quality treats that we develop.
LPK: The freeze-dried candy sector is relatively new. How did you decide what candies you wanted to offer in a freeze-dried format?
CG: During the pandemic, my family and I became hooked on watching all the DIY freeze-dried candy videos flooding our TikTok feeds. Freeze-drying is something we absolutely geek out over, so while we enjoyed watching these viral experiments, we quickly realized that many new companies jumping on the trend weren’t really doing it right. They were using inefficient machines, did not have even the most basic food safety or quality programs in place, and were selling sub-par products.
So, we decided to take a different approach. We spent three months experimenting with every type of candy we could think of—testing, tweaking, and perfecting. By the end of that R&D phase, we had developed nine unique SKUs that we felt were truly differentiated and exciting. That’s what we launched with.
However, we quickly learned that just because a candy is good in its raw form doesn’t mean it freezes well. Many of the big players in the candy space make delicious treats, but those products weren’t designed to thrive in the freeze-drying process. So, we decided to go a step further: rather than freeze-drying existing candies, we started formulating our own with various suppliers, crafting products that were specifically optimized for freeze-drying.
For us, it’s not just about freeze-drying classic candies—it’s about using our 15 years of food manufacturing expertise and cutting-edge technology to create something completely unique. We wanted to offer products that couldn’t be found anywhere else, which is why we’ve taken this custom approach. And have decided to take it even one step further by bringing our candy making in-house.
As part of our commitment to quality, we’ve always believed in vertical integration. By bringing our chew candy production completely in-house by March 2025, we’ll gain even more control over the entire manufacturing process. This will allow us to fine-tune formulations that are optimized for freeze-drying, ensuring even better flavor and texture.
Being vertically integrated also gives us the ability to maintain consistent quality across all batches and meet the high standards that our customers expect. It’s all about making sure we deliver the best possible product, every time.
LPK: How does Sow Good freeze dry its candies?
CG: Unlike many of our competitors, we develop our own creations by leveraging our deep understanding and expertise in both food manufacturing and freeze-drying. Every aspect of our manufacturing process is carefully controlled because we’re committed to providing consumers with an unmatched snacking experience.
While others in the industry may cut corners—often freeze-drying for just 7 to 10 hours to speed up production and increase sales—we take a different approach. We freeze-dry each of our products for up to 24 hours, removing up to 99% of the moisture. This ensures a solid crunch all the way through, leaving behind nothing but pure, hyper-concentrated and hyper-crunchy deliciousness.
But we don’t stop there. We also take extra care when it comes to packaging. Our products are handled in specially built rooms that ensure no moisture can get in, preserving the perfect crunch and freshness. Because of the fragility of the freeze-dried candy, we hand-package every bag to ensure the highest quality and to prevent any damage during the process.
To keep up with growing demand and to improve efficiency, we’re expanding our production capacity by doubling the number of freeze dryers at both our Irving location and our new, 324,000 square foot Dallas facility. This expansion will not only allow us to meet the increasing demand for our products but also help us maintain the high food safety and quality standards that are at the heart of everything we do.
LPK: How does the company keep a pulse on what flavors consumers are interested in currently? What about up-and-coming flavor trends?
CG: We also stay closely connected to what consumers want. Social media, especially TikTok, has been a huge source of inspiration for us. By keeping a close eye on trends and flavor preferences, we can stay ahead of the curve and offer new products that people are excited about.
While we draw inspiration from traditional candies, we love to experiment with new flavors and create treats that push the boundaries of what people expect from candy. Our goal is to keep delivering fresh, irresistible products that our customers can’t wait to try.
We recently released products for fall (pumpkin marshmallows, lemon puffs, and mini sweet and sour bites).
LPK: What’s next for late 2024 or early 2025?
CG: One thing about us is that we’re constantly innovating. While we just recently released the SKUs that you mentioned, we’re already planning to roll out over ten new products. This will include flavors such as mint and chamoy, in addition to fun seasonal offerings. You can expect a ton of newness from Sow Good in the near future!
