Ignas Valavičius shares how he helps his mother with their freeze-drying venture, from machines to holiday packaging.
Today at Republikken’s Community Breakfast, we were taken on a flavorful adventure, thanks to Ignas. He shared a heartwarming story about helping his mother turn simple fruits into delicious, freeze-dried products. What started as an experiment now brings life to plates with freeze-dried bananas, apples, pears, raspberries, and even spicy, savory tomatoes perfect for salads.
From Fruit to Sublimation: How It Works
Ignas walked us through the freeze-drying process, making it sound like a science experiment anyone would want to try. The apples are first frozen solid, and then placed into a specialized machine. This device removes water through a vacuum sublimation process—transforming ice directly into vapor, leaving behind crispy, moisture-free fruit. What’s left? A perfectly preserved snack, crunchy and light as air, yet intensely flavorful.
Ignas Valavičius explained that this method differs drastically from traditional drying. Freeze-dried products are healthier, with no added oils or sugars, unlike the misleading “greenwashed” snacks found in stores. His mother’s method ensures zero compromise on nutrition, offering a pure, wholesome taste.
Ignas Valavičius: Beyond Machines and Sublimation
So, what is Ignas’ role in this family venture? Apart from helping operate these sophisticated machines, he assists in packaging and designing eye-catching labels. He’s especially focused on making them appealing to kids, working on Christmas-themed packages that stand out in the market. His creativity doesn’t stop there; he’s open to feedback and ideas from the community, especially for experimenting with new fruits or herbs.
Ignas even dreams of expanding to bakeries, selling fruit powders as natural flavor enhancers. He’s enthusiastic about refining these products and welcomes anyone curious to collaborate or share their ideas.
Next time you snack on a freeze-dried raspberry, think of the hard work, science, and a whole lot of love that goes into making it. Besides freeze-dried fruit Ignas works with many other projects within Product Development at his company Idea Design.