For many people, freeze-dried candy is just a fun treat. For Tye Penke, it’s the spark for a small business he hopes will grow with him throughout high school and beyond. A student and FFA member at Oakland-Craig High School, Tye launched his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) in November 2024 with the mindset that starting early would give him more time to learn, experiment, and turn a profit.
Under the name Flash Freeze Fanatic, Tye transforms candy, fruit, and other foods into long-lasting snacks by running them through a freeze dryer. The process is hands-on from start to finish, including purchasing products, setting the machine to the right program, waiting out the cycle, and then packaging the results. Each finished batch is vacuum-sealed in Mylar bags and labeled with designs he creates himself.
“I like seeing all the things I can make,” Tye says. “And eating some of it, too.”
While candy is his current best-seller, Tye sees bigger opportunities in freeze-drying fruit and even meat for preservation. Those possibilities, along with his love of experimenting with new products, keep him testing ideas and gauging customer favorites at local vendor shows and through special orders. He’s already planning for the day when his business includes an online store to ship products directly to customers.
Funding from the Nebraska FFA Foundation SAE grant gave Tye the ability to start strong. The grand funding covered the purchase of a Harvest Right freeze dryer, silicone mats, a vacuum sealer, and packaging materials—all equipment that allows him to produce professional-quality products and experiment with a wider range of items.
Running the business has also been an education in entrepreneurship. Tye budgets for ingredients and supplies, reinvests some profits into expansion, and sets aside the rest for personal savings. His short-term plan is to practice with a variety of products, including leftover fruit, meat, and cheese from his FFA chapter’s fundraising sales, giving him more variety to offer customers while reducing waste.
Between school, sports, community activities, and building Flash Freeze Fanatic, Tye’s schedule is full, but that’s exactly how he likes it. His early start, willingness to try new products, and commitment to investing in his business are giving him skills that will last long after the last batch is bagged. For Tye, freeze-drying is more than a hobby; it’s a hands-on lesson in creativity, responsibility, and turning an idea into something real.
