By: Joe Spalzer
Kailey Hope, the founder and CEO of Freezies Treats, has been making waves in the gourmet freeze-dried candy industry since launching her business in March 2020. What started as a way to cheer up kids at her struggling daycare during the COVID-19 pandemic has now grown into a thriving company.
“We started Freezies; we were running a daycare. We had a home daycare, about 16 kids,” Kailey tells OK! Magazine. “Amid the Covid-19 crisis, we started noticing that our kids were sad. Everybody was just sad, right? So, we decided to buy this thing called a freeze dryer as part of our daycare experiments.”
Kailey quickly discovered her talent for creating unique freeze-dried candy recipes in high demand. “I figured out that I was good at this, and we had some cool recipes that I could work into a high demand,” she says.
Despite the initial success at farmers markets, Kailey faced financial struggles. “We lost about half of our kids at our home daycare. So, that was financially a massive strain on our family,” she recalls. “We quickly got a fan base of locals as well. Our local community was huge in our first couple of months. That first year of success. Everybody is supportive.”
Determined to turn her passion into a successful business, Kailey sought the help of a mentor. “I quickly got a mentor, and we grew to over a million followers across our platforms,” she shares. This exponential growth on social media allowed Freezies Treats to become the Hope family’s main focus, leading them to close their daycare.
Kailey’s journey as an entrepreneur has been filled with milestones and special moments. “The moment that my husband quit; his job was his normal 9 to 5. He was driving a concrete truck and was able to quit that job. And we were able to sustain ourselves and pay our own bills in our own company. That was a huge moment for us,” she reflects.
Another significant moment was when Freezies Treats crossed the $1 million sales mark in October 2023. “The moment that we crossed our 1 million in sales was a really emotional moment and really validating,” Kailey shares.
Freezies Treats now offers over 120 rotating flavors, catering to a wide range of customers. “Our products are really awesome for people that have any sort of dental issues. If you have braces, dentures, or no teeth at all, even we have people that have no teeth, and they’re eating our products with no issues because they will literally just melt away in your mouth,” Kailey explains.
Connecting with customers is at the heart of Kailey’s business philosophy. She goes live on social media twice a day to showcase products, answer questions, and spread joy. “I 100% need to be connected with my people, and that’s why I do go live,” she says. “People message us all day long saying, ‘When are you going to go live?’ I need my daily dose of joy. I need some smiles on my face today.”
Looking to the future, Kailey has big plans for Freezies Treats. They opened their first physical storefront in Grand Junction, Colorado, in April 2024 and have plans to potentially expand to all 50 states. She also aims to launch a coaching program by the end of 2024 to help other entrepreneurs achieve their dreams.
Kailey’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is simple yet powerful: believe in yourself and never give up. “It’s not easy. But if you give it everything that you have, it is 100% worth it, and it will be crazier than you can ever imagine, and harder than you can ever imagine. But 100% worth it,” she affirms.
With her unwavering positivity, innovative products, and genuine commitment to spreading happiness, Kailey Hope has found the recipe for success, turning Freezies Treats from a small home-based business into a nationwide sensation. As she continues to inspire and connect with her growing “Freezies fam,” there’s no doubt that Kailey’s sweet success story is just beginning.
Published By: Aize Perez
