Flavor Fridays
Flavor Friday – Episode #2
Oct
In this episode of Snowie’s Flavor Friday, Callie talks to us today about Snowie’s Stevia Natural Sweetener. After we made out Snowie Natural Flavors public, people would always ask us, “If the concentrate is natural, how are you sweetening it?” “Sugar,” we would answer followed by a pause. It is interesting how media can influence our lives, sugar now has such a bad reputation it is assumed to be an unnatural or artificial product. Sugar is a natural product.
Even though sugar is natural, there are many reasons why many people need to avoid sugar, it may be for weight-loss, diabetes, heart disease, etc. With these concerns on the forefront of so many minds, Callie set out to create Stevia that was not only good, but that could be poured onto shaved ice as well.
This process can seem like a simple one. But if you have ever tried to use any regular, store bought sweetener and pour that over shaved ice, you know it does not work. Not to mention that while Stevia is gaining popularity quickly, there are versions that can have a bitter after-taste or even taste like menthol. Yes, a menthol undertone would ruin the taste of any shaved ice flavor. So, while getting it to take on a texture like syrup was a big goal, it was even more important that it taste delicious. While we were developing this product we started to tell inquirers about it. It was amazing how many people then began to ask us daily about its progress.
Then, Callie pulled it off. Callie brought us a final taste test that was so close to sugar, it was hard to tell the difference. This was a quite an accomplishment, and it was an answer to so many people’s requests.
Snowie’s Stevia option comes in a powder form. You simply pour it into your container, add water, shake, and you are done! You now have a sugar free, all natural sweetener, that has the pours on shaved ice like traditional syrup. There are two sizes available that also have some differences. You can buy the smaller pack which in unpreserved and will allow you to make a quart at a time. This option, once you mix it with water, will last for 2-3 weeks in the fridge. The larger option or bulk option contains an already preserved powder, will create a 5 gallon jug of natural, sugar free, simple shaved ice syrup, and will last you one year with or without refrigeration.
Callie also discusses how she used this product at the Utah Arts Festival. This is a large event held in Salt Lake City. It is interesting to note that she was able to get into this event because she now offered our new Snowie Natural Shaved Ice Flavors. This event was the perfect setting to test our Stevia option. Callie decided to have two flavor stations in front of her stand, one that contained sugar-sweetened natural shaved ice syrups, and another that was sweetened by our Snowie Stevia option and therefore totally sugar free.
Callie was very interactive with her customers in this process and would ask them if they enjoyed the Stevia option. Their response was often the same. They could not tell a difference between the sugar and Stevia option. Although we had this same result at Snowie, it is always great to have that same feedback from our customers.
Give Stevia a shot in your stand or in your home and watch your customers or guests react to this delicious, natural, sugar alternative.
