David: Starting a freeze drying business means figuring out which products are actually worth your time and how to get your setup working right.
I’m here with Gene Ligman, who’s basically the go-to guy in the freeze drying world.
We’re diving into everything from the most popular freeze dried products you see on shelves to some of the cooler up-and-coming stuff in supplements and cosmetics.
Gene’s going to break down the main business categories—think pet treats, human foods, and even specialty powders and nutraceuticals.
He’s got a ton of experience, so if you’re just freeze-drying-curious or you’re plotting out your business plan, you’ll want to stick around for these insights.
Key Takeaways
- Pet treats are about 60% of the freeze drying market in America, and raw pet food is on the rise.
- Human foods—fruits, veggies, proteins—are the second biggest market.
- There’s also a whole world of non-food stuff like cosmetics, supplements, and powders that need to keep nutrients or live cultures intact.
Understanding the Basics of Freeze Drying
What Freeze Drying Actually Is
David: Gene, let’s start super basic—what is freeze drying?
Gene: Freeze drying is just pulling water out of stuff while it’s frozen and under vacuum. It’s not like regular drying because there’s no heat involved.
When you freeze dry, you’re keeping the original shape and nutrients. The frozen water skips the liquid phase and just turns into vapor.
How the Freeze Drying Process Works
Gene: First, you freeze the product solid. Then you put it in a vacuum chamber and drop the pressure way down.
Under those conditions, the ice turns straight into vapor. That’s different from normal drying, where water goes from liquid to gas.
It’s a slow process because you’re removing water gently. If you do it right, like with meat, you can add water and it’ll be ready to eat in about a minute.
Key Process Factors:
- Temperature during drying really matters for quality.
- Too much heat and the product won’t reconstitute right.
- If it’s processed wrong, stuff stays chewy or takes forever to rehydrate.
- Fats can leak out if you don’t control temps.
Why Freeze Drying Works Better Than Other Methods
David: So why bother freeze drying instead of just using a dehydrator or something?
Gene: We go with freeze drying when we want to keep things as close to fresh as possible. Other drying methods mess with the product a lot more.
Comparison of Drying Methods:
| Method | Temperature | Main Issues |
|---|---|---|
| Spray Drying | High | Oxidizes products, cooks ingredients, changes nutrient content |
| Sun Drying | Variable | Slow, unpredictable, exposure to elements |
| Freeze Drying | Low/Frozen | Needs special equipment, takes longer |
Spray drying uses a bunch of heat, which cooks and changes the product. That’s bad news for anything with live cultures, like yogurt or certain supplements.
Freeze drying lets you dry stuff while it stays cold, so you don’t lose nutrients or mess up the structure.
Advantages for different product types:
- Raw proteins keep their nutrients.
- Fruits and veggies keep their shape.
- Live cultures in supplements stay alive.
- Cosmetic ingredients keep their active stuff.
- Plant powders keep their full strength.
The other bonus? Freeze-dried stuff is super light and doesn’t need to be refrigerated, which makes shipping and storage way easier.
You don’t need special trucks or home freezer space. It just sits on the shelf until you’re ready to use it.
Practical Uses for Freeze Drying Operations
Selecting Items to Freeze Dry
David: What are people actually freeze drying the most?
Gene: Pet treats, hands down. About 60% of the freeze drying happening in America is all about pet snacks.
Next up is fruits and veggies. All those little fruit bits in breakfast cereal? That’s freeze dried.
Proteins are big too, especially in instant soups. You’ll find freeze-dried meats and proteins in a lot of those.
Human food splits into two main groups—fruits/veggies and proteins—with fruits and veggies just edging out proteins.
Raw pet food is a hot trend now. Pet owners want nutrient-rich raw meat, but frozen shipping is a pain.
Freeze drying solves a lot of those problems:
- No frozen shipping needed
- No freezer storage
- No thawing time
- Lighter to ship
You can feed it dry or add water. If it’s done right, it’ll rehydrate in about a minute.
Some companies blend up liver, fish, veggies, and more, then form it into pellets or patties before freeze drying. That way, you get a balanced meal for dogs, cats, even iguanas.
Non-food uses are growing too. Anything organic that needs to be a powder can go through freeze drying without losing its good stuff.
Cosmetic ingredients, like aloe vera powder, are a big deal. Nutraceuticals—think supplements with live cultures—need freeze drying because heat would wreck them.
Vacuum drying keeps all those sensitive ingredients intact.
Assessing Market Opportunities
David: How do you know if a freeze-dried product is going to sell?
Gene: It comes down to what problem you’re solving. Raw pet food, for example, fixes issues with storage and prep.
Quality is huge. If your freeze-dried meat rehydrates fast, you’ve done it right. If it’s chewy or takes too long, it probably got too hot during processing.
Different products have different needs. Bouillon cubes can handle spray drying because they’ll hit boiling water anyway, but supplements with live cultures can’t take the heat.
Shipping and storage matter too. Freeze-dried stuff doesn’t need refrigeration, so it’s easier to get to more customers.
Market share looks like this:
| Category | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Pet treats | ~60% |
| Fruits and vegetables | Second largest |
| Proteins | Almost as big as produce |
| Nutraceuticals | Growing fast |
| Cosmetics | On the rise |
If people are already buying a product in another form, like frozen raw pet food, freeze drying can open up the market even more.
Cosmetics and supplement companies want powders that keep their original properties, so freeze drying is a win for them.
Products for Pets Using Freeze Drying
Snacks for Animals Drive Sales
David: Let’s talk pets. Why are freeze-dried treats so huge?
Gene: Pet snacks are the biggest part of freeze drying right now—about 60% of the whole market.
Pet owners want better, healthier stuff for their animals, so demand just keeps climbing.
Complete Meals for Pets
David: What about full-on meals for pets?
Gene: There’s a trend for feeding dogs raw meat, since dogs evolved eating it and cooking changes the nutrients.
A lot of people say their pets get healthier after switching to raw food diets.
Two Options for Raw Pet Food:
- Frozen raw meat
- Freeze dried raw meat
Frozen meat is a hassle—heavy to ship, needs constant freezing, and takes time to thaw.
Freeze dried meat skips all that. It’s lighter, doesn’t need refrigeration, and you can feed it dry or just add water.
If it’s freeze dried right, the meat will rehydrate in about a minute. If not, it’ll stay chewy or take longer to soften. Some pets just crunch it dry.
Creating Custom Animal Food Recipes
Gene: We do this for all kinds of pets—dogs, cats, iguanas, you name it.
Companies blend liver, fish, veggies, and more, grind it into a mash, and form it into pellets or patties before freeze drying.
Brands like Stella and Chewies use this method. Each animal gets a recipe built for their needs, and it’s all shelf-stable.
Applications Beyond Food
Freeze drying isn’t just for food. Anything organic that’s moist at harvest—like aloe vera—can be freeze dried into powder.
Spray drying works fast but uses heat, which can ruin some ingredients.
Cosmetics need powders that haven’t been cooked. Aloe vera powder is a hot market. Nutraceuticals with live cultures, like yogurt-based supplements, need freeze drying so you don’t kill the good bacteria.
Foods for People Made Through Freeze Drying
Fresh Produce
David: What about freeze-dried food for people?
Gene: Tons of it. Those little fruit chunks in your cereal? Freeze dried.
Fruits and veggies are a big part of the freeze drying business. They keep their flavor and nutrients, and you don’t need to refrigerate them.
Meat and Other Proteins
Protein foods are the next big thing. Instant soups with meat or protein chunks? That’s freeze dried, too.
Fruits and veggies might be a bit bigger, but proteins are right up there.
Why freeze-dried proteins are great:
- They rehydrate super fast.
- No need to keep them cold.
- Easy to ship.
- Nutrients stay locked in.
If the meat takes forever to soften, it probably got too hot during processing. That can mess with the texture and nutrition.
Common Items in Stores
Freeze-dried ingredients are everywhere—soups, cereals, snack mixes.
Instant soups use freeze-dried meats and veggies. Some soup bases are freeze dried, too.
We’re seeing more freeze drying in cosmetics and supplements. Aloe vera powder is a good example.
Supplements with live cultures, like yogurt-based stuff, need freeze drying to keep the bacteria alive. Heat would just kill them.
Powdered and Freeze-Dried Non-Edible Items
Health Supplements and Nutraceuticals
David: So, Gene, what about non-food stuff?
Gene: We use freeze drying to turn organic things into powder. Anything that grows has water in it, so you’ve got to dry it before you grind it up.
Sun drying and spray drying are options, but both have drawbacks.
Spray drying is fast but:
- Uses hot air
- Causes oxidation
- Changes the product
- Basically cooks it
Freeze drying is the go-to for products that need special care, like nutraceuticals with live cultures.
If you want to keep those cultures alive, you can’t cook them. Freeze drying under vacuum gets the job done while keeping everything protected.
Beauty Product Components
David: Gene, I know the cosmetics industry uses a lot of freeze-dried powdered ingredients. Can you walk me through what that looks like?
Gene: Absolutely, David. We process any ingredient that needs to be in powder form.
David: So, companies harvest these materials while they’re still wet, right?
Gene: That’s right. They need to dry them before turning them into usable cosmetic ingredients.
David: And freeze drying keeps the ingredients stable without exposing them to heat or air that could damage them.
Gene: Exactly.
Powdered Organics
David: What about organics? Can you powder any organic product through freeze drying?
Gene: Pretty much, yes. By organic, I mean anything that you would harvest from growing.
David: What are some common powdered organic products you see?
Gene: Aloe vera powder is a big one. Plant extracts and other harvested materials too.
David: Sounds like this market is expanding fast.
Gene: It really is. More companies want to create powdered versions of their organic materials.
David: And freeze drying lets you keep the original properties intact while removing the water, right?
Gene: That’s the main advantage.
Setting Up Your Freeze Drying Operation
Space and Equipment Needs
David: If someone wants to start a freeze drying business, is it just about buying a machine?
Gene: Not at all. You’ve got to think about the whole workspace and how it supports the drying process.
David: So, the freeze dryer is just one piece of the puzzle.
Gene: Exactly. You need a facility that can handle the full production cycle.
David: That means storage for raw materials, prep areas, and space for packaging finished products.
Gene: And don’t forget temperature control. Some items need to stay frozen until they go into the machine.
David: Others need specific prep work before drying begins, right?
Gene: Yep.
Creating Product Formulas
David: When it comes to freeze drying, how do you approach creating product recipes?
Gene: It’s more than just tossing something in the machine. You need to develop specific recipes.
David: For pet food, for example, what goes into that?
Gene: Companies often grind multiple ingredients together. They might mix different protein sources like liver or fish, add vegetables for nutrients, and throw in omega-3 sources for health benefits.
David: And then those get formed into pellets or patties before drying?
Gene: That’s right. Each animal type needs its own balanced recipe.
David: What about single ingredients?
Gene: We do that too. Fruits and vegetables get processed individually, and proteins like beef get dried in chunks or specific shapes.
Making the Process Work Better
David: What makes a high-quality freeze dried product?
Gene: There are a few things. The drying process itself really affects the final product quality.
David: How does temperature play into that?
Gene: If you dry meat at higher temperatures, fats can render out. That makes the meat take longer to rehydrate and it might stay chewy.
David: So, properly dried meat should rehydrate quickly—like in a minute?
Gene: Exactly. If it takes much longer, something went wrong.
David: Does that apply to other products too?
Gene: For sure. Powdered ingredients need complete drying under the right conditions.
David: And you dry under vacuum to protect sensitive components, right?
Gene: Yes, that’s how live cultures in yogurt or probiotic supplements stay alive. Heat would destroy them.
David: So, each product type needs its own process parameters.
Gene: We adjust time, temperature, and vacuum levels based on what we’re drying.
New Directions in Freeze Drying
Emerging Niches
David: Are there any new niches popping up in freeze drying?
Gene: The cosmetics industry is a big one. They use freeze drying for powder ingredients like aloe vera because traditional drying methods just don’t cut it.
David: When you’re working with organic materials that are wet during harvest, what are your options?
Gene: There are a few ways to dry them. Sun drying takes time, and spray drying uses hot air that can oxidize and cook the product.
David: So freeze drying really solves those problems for sensitive ingredients.
Gene: Exactly. The vacuum environment protects materials from heat damage.
David: What about nutraceuticals?
Gene: That’s another area that’s growing. There’s a lot of demand for products with live cultures, like yogurt-based supplements. Those cultures die if you use heat, but freeze drying under vacuum keeps them alive.
David: And the pharmaceutical sector uses freeze drying too, right?
Gene: Absolutely. Many compounds break down at high temperatures, so the cold vacuum process is perfect for preserving their effectiveness.
Growth in Specialized Markets
David: Gene, let’s talk about freeze drying in the pet food world. I’ve heard pet food is a huge part of the industry right now.
Gene Ligman: Yeah, David, pet food actually makes up about 60% of freeze drying activity in America. Pet treats are leading the charge there.
David: What’s driving all that growth?
Gene Ligman: A lot of it comes from the raw feeding movement. People are realizing dogs evolved eating raw meat, and raw meat has nutrients that change when you cook it.
David: So, pet owners are seeing results?
Gene Ligman: Definitely. Many say their pets’ health improves when they switch to raw diets.
David: How does raw pet food usually come?
Gene Ligman: There are two main types. First, you’ve got frozen raw meat. It’s heavy, needs refrigerated trucks, has to be kept in a freezer, and you have to thaw it before feeding.
David: Sounds like a hassle.
Gene Ligman: It is. The other option is freeze-dried raw meat. It’s lightweight, ships at room temperature, you can keep it on a shelf, and you can feed it dry or rehydrate it in about a minute.
David: That sounds a lot easier.
Gene Ligman: For sure. We make complete meals by grinding proteins, veggies, and supplements into a mix, then shaping that into patties or pellets before freeze drying.
David: And you’ve got recipes for different animals, right?
Gene Ligman: Exactly. Cats, dogs, even reptiles—different recipes for each.
David: Who’s doing this really well right now?
Gene Ligman: Companies like Stella and Chewies are nailing it. Their patties have liver for nutrients, fish for omega-3s, and veggies for vitamins.
David: What makes good freeze-dried meat?
Gene Ligman: High-quality stuff rehydrates fast. If the meat gets too hot during processing, it loses fat, stays chewy, and takes longer to rehydrate.
David: Is freeze drying just for pet food?
Gene Ligman: Not at all. Human food is the next big sector. Most of it is fruits and veggies.
David: Like the fruit in cereal?
Gene Ligman: Exactly. Every chunk of fruit in breakfast cereal is freeze dried. Same goes for instant soups with protein pieces.
David: So proteins for people are just as big as fruits and veggies in freeze drying?
Gene Ligman: Yeah, it’s a pretty even split between those in the market.