Made in Mo: It’s Freezing In Here

In third grade, after writing to astronauts, Judy Magliane got to try freeze-dried astronaut ice cream for the first time. That day, she vowed to make a future business out of the type of food sent to space. Now, 40 years later, she has.

Judy and her husband, Rodney Richardson, own Midwest Paradise, a freeze-dried food and jewelry business based in Montgomery City. The business, which officially started in October 2021, offers a variety of freeze-dried foods including fruit, vegetables, candy, ice cream treats, and cheesecake as well as jewelry shaped like some of the candy they sell and other various designs. The products are sold online and in 26 stores across Missouri. “The fact that I’ve created something and I can share it with others, for me, it’s the best thing ever,” Judy says.

Creating the business

While creating the business, the couple both juggled full-time jobs and tended to their homestead. “We’re excited that maybe sooner or later our company will grow big enough where, you know, I don’t have to go to work,” Rodney says. “I can just, you know, go to our own building and work on our own product, which would be the American dream.” It took 10 months to get their business running because in addition to maintaining their personal lives, they aimed to do everything themselves in accordance with state and federal health guidelines. They installed a commercial-grade kitchen on their property and certified all their procedures. The first product they learned to freeze-dry was candy since it has less moisture in it, Rodney says. The process of freeze-drying candy is simple, Judy explains. It goes directly into the freeze-dryer machine, then is placed in a vacuum, where the water is removed through sublimation. Since then, they have done extensive research and talked with many people on how to freeze-dry more complicated foods and expand their business. “We are learning as we go,” Rodney says. Some companies have requested the couple partner with them to expand their products to include freeze-dried pickles, goat milk caramels, and alcoholic infusions.

Sharing something sweet

The couple has made it their mission to share the wealth of their business with others in their community. For every 1,000 packages a customer purchases, the couple donates $100 to a charity of the customer’s choosing, and they often donate products to charitable raffles. Judy and Rodney also visit disability services and community organizations to educate people about the freeze-drying process. Seeing people being able to enjoy candy who may not have been able to in a longtime due to dental issues “brings a smile to our faces,” Rodney says. “I always said, if I could ever get to a point where I own my own business, that not only would we be doing it to help sustain our personal lives but that we would be able to give back as well,” Judy says. Judy also says her business wouldn’t be where it is today without her faith. She says the Bible verse from Jeremiah 29:11 has guided her in her business journey: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Visit Midwest Paradise online at MidwestParadise.com. You will also find some of its yummy freeze-dried products at the Missouri Life Mercantile in Rocheport. All photos by Midwest Paradise.