This is taking over TikTok

GM. This is Work "After" Work, the newsletter that brings treats to your inbox. We're like Willy Wonka but everyone gets the golden ticket.

What we got for ya today:

• 🥶 Freeze-dried candy

• 🤖 Techy Tech

• 😂 Meme of the day

FREEZE-DRIED CANDY IS HOT

If you use TikTok, you already know how insane the algorithm is. I watched one Mukbang video of a creator eating freeze-dried candy, and now it’s all I see on my FYP. Send help!

Seriously, I've watched maybe a hundred videos of folks creating and eating these treats. Still, I was shocked when I saw the #freezeddriedcandy hashtag had ~2B views on TikTok alone in just a few months. People really like this stuff, huh?

I checked for an interest outside of TikTok, and my findings were fascinating.

According to Jungle Scout, freeze-dried candy had ~785 weekly searches on Amazon at the start of the year. That figure jumped to 25.5k in March and is still receiving ~10k searches per week.

Google Trends tells the same story.

There's no denying the #freezedriedcandy craze, and understandably so. Imagine removing all the moisture from your favorite sweets, leaving only a crispy and crunchy delicacy — that is exactly what freeze-dried candy is.

Yes, I caved and tried it. These sweets are delicious, with a distinct texture and flavor.

Here's the exciting bit and why I'm writing: Customers are actively hunting for anyone who can offer freeze-dried sweets, so people who can make them are in high demand.

The good news? Anyone can make these sweets and I'll show you how to get started from the comfort of your own home!

Starting your freeze-dried candy business:

You'll need:

• A freeze dryer. Prices range from $2.5k to $5k, depending on the machine's size and brand. If you're just getting started, a mid-size freeze dryer should suffice

• A sturdy shelf, workbench, or table to support the freeze dryer

• Storage space for ingredients/unprocessed candy and packaging (bags, containers, heat sealer, or printer)

Note: Some states have special kitchen standards for various food processes so check your state's laws before investing in costly equipment. 

The freeze dryer does the bulk of the job. So all you have to do is:

• Cut the treats into small chunks. You can skip this step if the candy already comes in small sizes

• Pre-freeze the treats. Again, not necessary if you’re freezing shelf-stable sweets

• Place the treats on the freeze-drying tray. Space it out evenly to speed up the drying process

• Leave it to work its magic for 15-20 hours and voila, you have a product ready for sale

What’s next? Marketing your new business!

Once you've mastered the art of producing freeze-dried sweets, it's time to package and sell them on social media, online marketplaces, or at a local farmers market near you.

How to market your candies

#1 Sell on social media

Since the #freezedriedcandy has ~2B views on TikTok, it's a great platform to start on. Set up a page, create content about the cooking process and your products, and let your followers know your treats are ready for orders.

Kaitlyn Tilghman of Harrisburg Treats got a freeze dryer to make healthy snacks for her family and stumbled into this great side business making her hundreds of dollars a month. How? Facebook! Same play here. Set up an account, post videos of your products, and offer to ship them to your customers.

#2 Use online marketplaces

Weekly searches for freeze-dried candy on Amazon were at ~10k this month alone. People are used to only buying on Amazon. 

🔥 Create an Amazon seller account🔥 Add your products🔥 Advertise your offers

The other way is Etsy. It has 94M active buyers and with our growth tips, you may stand out and outsell your competitors 😏

The best part about this business is the product’s long shelf life. Since it's freeze-dried,  the candy can last up to ~25 years with proper storage. So experiment as much as you want; the candies aren’t going anywhere.

Can you freeze-dry other stuff? 

Heck yeah! You can freeze-dry pretty much anything from meats to fruits and even ice cream. According to Jungle Scout, monthly searches for "freeze-dried food" are up 50% over the previous month to 36k.

Since everyone appears to be making freeze-drying candies, consider other areas where you can offer unique products with less competition. For example, these freeze-dried yogurts generate $446k+ monthly on Amazon, per Jungle Scout.

Other ideas include:

• Freeze-dried organic fruits

• CBD edibles and treats

• Vitamin-packed foods

• Freeze-dried pet food

Because a freeze dryer is expensive, offer as many freeze-dried treats as possible besides candies - you might find a super in-demand niche that no one is going after yet.

Explore, get creative, see what works, and you'll be on your way to building a solid side business! 

TECHY TECH 🤖

If you've heard the word "AI" 1,000 times this past week, same.

It seems like a new GPT comes out every 48 hours. And today is no exception. Just a few days ago, AutoGPT was born. An AI that can not only create a to-do list but also do the list for you. Something we haven't seen yet.

This means you could tell it to "create a website for selling candles" and it will map out each step like finding the right domain name, SEO, marketing, sourcing materials, etc.

It's still a GitHub project, so only people who know how to code can run it but this just shows how close we are to the real deal!

MEME OF THE DAY

😂😂

That's a wrap ladies & gents!

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.