Freeze-Dried Candy Batch Cost Calculator
What does one freeze dryer run really cost you? Fill in your numbers (the defaults are realistic US averages) and get your true cost per bag — the number every pricing decision starts from.
How the math works
No black box — this is the whole model:
candy = weight (lbs) × cost per lb
electricity = cycle hours × avg kW × rate per kWh
packaging = bags per batch × (bag + label & extras)
machine wear= dryer price ÷ lifetime batches
labor = hands-on hours × hourly rate
bags per batch = candy weight × 16 ÷ bag size (oz) — unless you override it
cost per bag = batch cost ÷ bags per batch
Machine wear is the line most sellers skip. A $3,495 dryer that lives for ~1,500 batches silently costs you about $2.33 every run — leave it out and your "profit" is really you slowly consuming your machine.
Freeze-dried candy cost FAQ
How much does it cost to run a freeze dryer for one candy batch?
Electricity for a typical 24–36 hour candy cycle usually lands between $4 and $8 in the US: home freeze dryers average roughly 1.0–1.5 kW while running, so a 30-hour cycle at $0.16/kWh is about $5. Candy cycles run shorter than raw-food cycles because candy contains very little water.
How many bags of candy do you get from one batch?
Divide the candy weight you load by your bag size: a medium home unit holds roughly 5–7 lbs of candy, so at a 3 oz retail bag that's about 26–37 bags. Candy keeps nearly all its weight in the dryer (there's almost no water to remove) — but it expands in volume, which is why bags are sized by weight, not volume.
Should I count my own labor?
Yes — at least at a token rate. Loading, bagging, sealing, and labeling typically take about an hour per batch. Price with zero labor and you can never hire help or scale without raising prices on existing customers.
Do freeze-dried candy bags need oxygen absorbers?
For candy sold to eat within weeks or months, most sellers skip them — sugar doesn't oxidize the way fats do — and rely on a properly heat-sealed mylar bag. For long-term-storage products, add $0.05–$0.10 per bag to the "label + extras" line.
🛠 Gear this calculator assumes
- Harvest Right home freeze dryer — the machine most candy sellers run; the medium size fits ~5–7 lbs of candy per batch.
- Resealable mylar bags (3 oz) — the standard retail packaging.
- Impulse heat sealer — for airtight seals that survive a market table.
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