How FaZe Rug’s 1UP Candy Is Building a Confectionery Brand for the Content Creator Era

Earlier this month, content creator Brian “FaZE Rug” Awadis’ digitally native confectionery brand, 1UP Candy, took to Sweets & Snacks Expo 2025 to showcase its latest non-chocolate creation – Crunchy Sour Strips – amidst accelerated brick-and-mortar distribution growth.

Available in three flavors – Rainbow, Blue Raz and Green Apple– the freeze-dried candy transforms a classic chewy treat into a crispy snack that “delivers a dynamic sour pop followed by a smooth, fruity melt,” according to the brand.

“It’s a product that’s really built to last. A lot of innovations are here just for a second, but [Crunchy Sour Strips] are going to stick around because they’re so unique,” Matt Weiss, CEO at 1UP Candy, told Nosh at the show.

Freeze-dried candy has soared in popularity over the past few years, driven by a strong presence on TikTok. The hashtag #freezedriedcandy currently boasts over 227,000 videos on the platform. Though emerging brands and confectionery giants alike are capitalizing on the trend, 1UP is confident in its ability to stand out in the increasingly saturated marketplace.

Founded in 2023 by Awadis and Michael Schenker, 1UP Candy debuted as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand with a single product: the Sour Gummy Challenge. Each challenge kit contained six sour gummies, and consumers were tasked with sucking on three of them on camera for 30 seconds while keeping a straight face. The boxes also included a neutralizer powder mix for immediate relief.

The decision to launch with a social media challenge was fruitful: The company, which has been profitable since its inception, sold “a lot of units” and generated over one billion impressions on TikTok, according to Weiss.

After proving there was demand for a digitally native, creator-co-founded confectionery brand, 1UP Candy made the jump into brick-and-mortar retail with Walmart in 2024 with a new product line. The brand was approached by the mass retailer to create a collection of freeze-dried confections, which includes Gummy Bites, Lemon Tops, Sour Worms, Watermelons, Peach Rings and the aforementioned Crunchy Sour Strips.

To diversify its product portfolio, 1UP Candy recently ventured beyond freeze-dried by launching Sour Burst Chews in Circle K. The candy features an “explosively sour core” wrapped in a chewy outer shell. Additionally, the brand is introducing Mexican-inspired Chamoy Gummies in Watermelon, Mango and Strawberry flavors.

“What we want to do is bring this type of experience to the mainstream set under our brand that’s digitally native and can get folks to be aware of these amazing flavor combinations that they may not have otherwise heard of,” said Weiss.

The brand approaches innovation with three pillars in mind: new texture experiences, new sensory sensations and new flavors – including flavors that “could be mainstream but aren’t getting their fair shot.”

1UP Candy no longer offers direct purchases on its website; instead, it pushes consumers to visit its retail partners. The brand is available in over 12,000 doors nationwide, and continues to grow.

The company also drives consumers to its retail partners through FaZE Rug’s unique content filmed in-store. The content is also beneficial for retailers, as it provides exposure and attracts demographics who may not otherwise be familiar with the store – according to Weiss, some of the videos get “millions and millions” of views.

“Our focus thus far has been on a select number of retailers so that we can create content that points people to a particular store,” he said. “As we start to see items that are top performers and break out from the mix, then we can push those out into other places.”

Weiss continued, “We want to continue to grow at a proper pace. Some brands can run into problems trying to do too many things all at once, and when you’re fortunate and things are going well, it can be tough to do that. So that means continuing to make sure we’re launching new products, but at the same time assessing and understanding the portfolio.”