SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Arianna Stratford and Jeanette Smylie started Crunchy Mamaz to share their tasty, fun, freeze-dried candy with their community.
“People are very excited about it,” Crunchy Mamaz co-owner Jeanette Smylie says. “It is a craze.”
Popular chewy, gummy candies like Skittles and peach rings are transformed into light and crunchy treats.
“It kind of messes with someone’s mind to have the same flavor, but a completely different texture,” Smylie says.
The freeze-drying process is straightforward.
“The trays are being heated up and then, the vacuum pulls all the moisture out, so it makes something small get larger and crunchier,” co-owner Arianna Stratford explains.
The idea to make freeze-dried candy came after Stratford tried it for the first time at a farmer’s market.
“My friend posted that she had freeze-dried candy, and it was exciting for her,” Smylie says.
The two purchased their first freeze-dryer.
“Thinking we’d pay back the machine selling the candy at the little league,” Stratford says.
The duo was …