Originally Published October 19, 2016
Some foodies may think that the day of artisanal marshmallows is past, but those people would be wrong, as they have never tasted the 75+ flavor options made possible by the two-person candy confectioner team Sandra Stegman and Amy Trout Hughes called MarshmallowMBA. This brand new business, started in spring 2016, is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
The Co-Owners work together to make the marshmallows and come up with unique flavor and texture offerings. MarshmallowMBA recipes are based on natural flavors and fewer than five ingredients. They use no preservatives. Their marshmallows are gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, wheat-free and fat-free. All flavors except cremes are lactose-free.
These marshmallow flavors range from traditional, to savory, to unique family-friendly options to “adult only” boozy selections. Their best sellers include PB&J, Mocha Java, Pina Colada, Peach Mango, Banana Pudding, Passion Tea Lemonade, John Daly, Bourbon and Box Wine varieties.
Also having marshmallows on wands or sticks gives their customers more choices in how to enjoy these tasty treats with the Neapolitan (chocolate/vanilla/strawberry) and cotton candy with rainbow sparkle sugar being customer favorites in that method of consumption.
The most unique offerings are their Comicon inspired caffeinated GamersEdge varieties that pack a four-hour “power boost into great-tasting a happy cube.
“We have friends who are sensitive to carbonation so energy drinks aren't an option for them but they still want the boost you get from an energy drink. We basically removed the carbonated water from traditional energy drinks and amped up our marshmallow formula with additional caffeine and vitamins so you get the boost without upset stomach or sugar crash you might get if you were just eating candy,” said Trout Hughes Co-Owner of Marshmallow MBA.
As tasty as these are, they are not recommended for children, however, there are many more options that work for everyone. Now for kids or those with caffeine sensitivity, there is a variety called AthletesEdge, which come in several fruit-based flavors including lemon-lime, fruit punch, berry pomegranate, orange and lemonade and is made with brown rice syrup, B12 and electrolytes. This type of marshmallow is now being used by some athletes and youth sporting groups.
While Trout Hughes and Stegman were always interested in making homemade treats, it wasn’t until earlier this year when a friend asked why they weren’t selling the marshmallows, and referred to them as the “Marshmallow MBA” that they decided to turn their passion project into a business.
In addition to being a must-go-to for gifts, some of their specialty products have been made for Comic Cons with licensed edible images including Doctor Who, Star Wars, Batman, My Little Pony and Avengers that have proven to be very popular with customers.
As for their “adults only” selections, their “craft”-mallows are all based on classic cocktail and liqueur flavors, with popular items being bourbon, “box wine,” and John Daly, and there are currently perfecting beer-based marshmallows.
“We thought it would be fun to create a marshmallow “happy hour” and these choices are popular for tailgating events as well as bachelor/bachelorette parties. These are also fun for divorce parties. These adult flavors are a nice alternative for s’mores and are fun added to coffee or tea. Some of our more adventurous clients mix our version of a Jager marshmallow and our GamersEdge Original to create their own “marshmallow Jagerbomb,” said Trout Hughes
In addition to the traditional, vitamin fortified and boozy options, they also produce delicious cremes that are made with a milk base and have no corn syrup in them.
All of their marshmallows are tasty, with flavors to suit any palate, and beautiful packaging that will make these great hostess and holiday gifts. Thy also would be a different option for Halloween parties. Also, as the temperature drops, we need some yummy marshmallows to go into our cocoa.
Check out this MarshmallowMBA, a unique candy company and enjoy their fresh and different candy creations.
What flavor marshmallow speaks to you: vanilla, Mocha Java, bacon, chocolate salty-pretzel, birthday cake or something else?
Most of their sales are online so if you want to try something new, fresh and delicious, you will want to check out their website.