If you’ve got a sweet tooth, a love for trying something new, or you simply enjoy discovering the fun things our local small businesses are creating, you’re definitely going to want to stop by The Knotty Crunch Co. at the Y’allternative Market!
And if the name sounds familiar, there’s a reason. The Knotty Crunch Co. is the newest adventure from Sukie and Jamie Baccam of Clarion... yes, the same Jamie who is also one-half of The Knotty Sisters, one of our crochet vendors!
But this time, Sukie will be taking the reins at a separate booth, bringing their freeze-dried creations to the market and introducing shoppers to this family business.
A Family Business With a Second Chapter
Sukie and Jamie are local to Clarion, and their freeze-drying adventure actually began almost three years ago.
They started making freeze-dried treats, but eventually had to put the business on hold because life simply didn't leave them enough time to give it the attention it deserved.
Now they're bringing The Knotty Crunch Co. back to life and they're excited to get their treats back into the hands of their community!
Sukie works as a painter at Hagie Manufacturing and has been part of the team there for several years. When he's not working, he's helping bring their freeze-dried creations to life.
Jamie has her hands full with The Knotty Sisters crochet business, but she's also part of this family venture. Together, Sukie and Jamie do the freeze-drying, while their daughters and their families help with events and all the behind-the-scenes work.
And then there are the grandkids.
They have perhaps the most important job of all:
Taste testing!
It's truly a family operation, and they're excited to see where this next chapter takes them.
So…What Exactly Is The Knotty Crunch Co. Making?
The Knotty Crunch Co. specializes in freeze-dried treats and foods, with their current focus on candies, fruits, vegetables and cakes.
And they're not stopping there.
As the business grows, Jamie would love to branch out into things like freeze-dried flowers and other fun products. Their long-term goal is to eventually move into an outside commercial location where they can produce more and offer an even bigger variety.
That kind of growth takes time, patience and most importantly - the support of the community.
And that's exactly why they're excited to be getting back out there!
Apparently, This Was All Sukie's Idea…
When asked what inspired them to start the business, Jamie gave credit where credit is due.
It was all Sukie.
She says he'd been thinking that freeze-drying would be fun and something they could do together.
And then came the idea that turned into a business.
As Jamie put it:
“He's a man of few words… but apparently, those few words turned into a whole business!”
We love a husband with a big idea!
Candy Lovers, Pay Attention!
The Knotty Crunch Co. has some clear favorites when it comes to best sellers.
Their Rainbow Bites (Skittles) and Cluster Crunch (Nerd Clusters) are among their biggest sellers, along with pretty much anything sour.
And if you've never tried freeze-dried sour candy, well…you may want to proceed with caution.
According to Jamie, there's just something about freeze-drying sour candy that makes it even more addictive.
Once you start, it's hard to stop!
But It's Not Just About Candy
One of the things The Knotty Crunch Co. really wants to offer is variety.
While many freeze-dried businesses focus primarily on candy, Sukie and Jamie enjoy making fruits and vegetables, too... even though those foods can take significantly longer to freeze-dry.
Depending on the food, preparation and moisture content, some fruits and vegetables can take 20 hours or more to freeze-dry.
For them, it's worth it because they want shoppers to have choices beyond candy.
Their goal is simple: you should be able to walk up to their booth and find something for everyone.
And Yes…The Pickles Are Coming.
If you're a pickle person, you're going to want to make sure you find The Knotty Crunch Co. at the market.
They're bringing their sought-after freeze-dried pickles!
They're crunchy, tangy and, according to Jamie, pretty addictive.
And she has some suggestions for what to do with them:
Crumble them into your favorite macaroni salad.
Add them to a sandwich.
Or, honestly…
Just eat them straight out of the bag! 😂
For the Y'allternative Market, they'll be bringing an assortment of freeze-dried candies, fruits and those much-talked-about pickles. They won't have vegetables this time, but they'll have plenty of other goodies to choose from, including some old favorites and some new treats.
The Fun of Freeze-Drying
One of Jamie's favorite things about this business is that freeze-drying can completely transform the texture of food.
The process removes moisture while the food is frozen, which can turn foods into something incredibly light and crunchy while retaining much of their original flavor.
A gummy candy can puff up into a crunchy treat.
Fruit can become a light, crispy snack with surprisingly intense flavor.
And sometimes…you simply don't know what something is going to do until you put it in the freeze dryer!
That's part of the fun.
They're always finding something new to try and luckily, there are a few very enthusiastic grandkids around who are more than happy to help decide what should make the next batch.
Come Get Your Crunch On!
We're excited to welcome The Knotty Crunch Co. back into the local market scene and give them a chance to introduce their second business to our community!
So while you're browsing the handmade goodies, crochet, vintage finds, homegrown products and all the other Y'allternative Market fun, make sure you swing by Sukie's booth and see what they've been freezing up.
You might come for the candy…
You might stay for the pickles…
And you might leave wondering, “I wonder what else they can freeze-dry?”
The Knotty Crunch Co.
Clarion, Iowa
Facebook: The Knotty Crunch Co.
Instagram: @theknottysisters_jamie
Email: theknottysisters@yahoo.com
And don't forget, you can find The Knotty Sisters at the market, too!
Two businesses. Two booths. One very creative family.
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