My new shop opens in Blackpool this weekend - selling new craze 'freeze-dried' sweets

There has been a surge of interest in ‘freeze-dried’ sweets across the water and now the sweet phenomenon has come to the UK as well.

The new shop, Krunchee Kanzeez, opens this Saturday (April 27), on Tyldesley Road, just off the central promenade.

And sweet fans will be spoilt for choice by the huge array of goodies on offer at the shop, with a dazzling multitude of flavours.

Read more: Watch as I make a mess of making freeze-dried Skittles

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with The Gazette’s free emails The new candy emporium has been opened by Lenka Slovakova and husband Al.

Lenka, 34, who is originally from Slovakia but has lived in England since she was 18, said: “I was intrigued by freeze dried sweets because one of my relatives was in America and she sent over a video with these really unusual sweets in the background.

“They were like Skittles but bigger - and she told me what they were and then me and my husband looked into it.

“It turned out they were really taking off in America, it was literally a craze.

“The whole thing was amazing and now we manufacture our own from a base in Kirkham.

“At first we were selling them wholesale but now we have decided to finally open our own shop.

“If you haven’t tried these sweets you should - they are mind-blowing!”

What are freeze-dried sweets?

The freeze-drying process uses extremely low temperatures but while removing the ice, it preserves the essence of flavours while transforming the texture of the sweet - or fruit - so that it becomes crisp, airy and light.

The sweets are crunchy but melt in the mouth.

As well as enthralling children they are handy for adults too - they don’t stick in people’s teeth like normal toffee and don’t cause problems for those who wear braces, either.

They also leave a pleasant tingling sensation in the mouth.

Lenka added: “It took us a while to work the manufacturing process, using the equipment and getting it just right, but once we’d done it we were able to make so many.

“Already there has been huge interest in the shop from people.

“I think there’s going to be a craze in the UK also!”