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In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Erica Haft, founder of Sweeter Collective, an organic hard candy brand modernizing the category with just 16 calories, less than 3 grams of sugar, and nearly 2 grams of fiber per piece.

Erica spent almost 10 years as an attorney before leaving law behind to build the brand. Her inspiration was close to home: her mother, a registered dietitian, has eaten hard candy daily for over 30 years to satisfy her sweet tooth without derailing her health goals. After nearly two years of R&D, including an early attempt at the old-school “panning” technique used for jawbreakers, Erica landed on a boiling method using soluble tapioca fiber and oats to create a long-lasting, slow-dissolving candy in a custom round sphere mold.

Caitlin and Erica dig into why the panning technique didn’t work out, how Erica found a co-manufacturer willing to make an unconventional round candy shape, the planetary branding inspired by her hometown of Jupiter, Florida, real feedback from in-store demos at Sprouts, and how she’s positioning hard candy not as a treat to restrict, but as a daily tool for mindfulness and control.


Listen in as they discuss:

  • How Erica’s mother’s 30-year hard candy habit as a registered dietitian sparked the idea for Sweeter Collective
  • Why Erica initially tried the old-school “panning” technique used for jawbreakers, and why it didn’t work
  • How she landed on a boiling method using soluble tapioca fiber and oats for a slow-dissolving candy
  • Why finding a co-manufacturer with a round sphere mold (instead of the standard disc shape) took months
  • The planetary branding, inspired by her hometown of Jupiter, Florida, that shapes the “Sweeter Universe” concept
  • Real customer feedback from in-store demos at Sprouts, including hesitation around price point
  • Why Erica frames Sweeter Pops as “the cheapest tool in your toolbox” compared to other wellness spend
  • How the brand is evolving its packaging to better educate shelf shoppers on what makes it different
  • Why positioning hard candy as a mindfulness tool, not a restriction, is central to the brand’s message
  • What’s next for Sweeter Collective, including a packaging refresh and dream flavor collaborations


🍬 Listener Perk: Use code STARTUPCPG for 10% off your order at sweetercollective.com – one-time use per customer.


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