A Pueblo mom frustrated by smashed bananas in her children’s backpacks came up with an alternative source of healthy snacks — and a new cottage business.

Jody Langford launched Jodacious Treats after she started making the treats in February for her own family, which includes four children. She now freeze dries and sells fruits, vegetables, guacamole and candy.

She will be among about 70 small business owners showcasing products and services at the Southern Colorado Small Business Development Center’s Small Business Expo, Resource and Job Fair set to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, May 5, at Pueblo Community College’s Fortino Ballroom, 900 W. Orman Ave.

The event will cap off a full five days of Small Business Week activities and “showcase small businesses that do not have a traditional brick and mortar storefront. Community members can see what they offer and do business with them online,” said Brian Estrada, executive director of the Southern Colorado Small Business Development Center.

Langford hadn’t really planned to start a business, but the enthusiasm for her products, “just boomed and it has evolved into a cottage business I operate out of my home," she said. Items like tomatoes, peppers and onions are vacuum sealed and “have a shelf life of 10 to 20 years,” and can easily be rehydrated for use during camping and hunting trips.

Other treats like freeze-dried bananas, strawberries and pineapple are available in resealable Mylar bags and can last about a year. But perhaps Langford's favorite products are popular candies that have been freeze dried.

The beauty of the freeze-dried candies is that they maintain all the flavor of hard-to-chew treats like taffies, but easily dissolve so those with braces or dentures can enjoy their favorite confections, Langford said.

“I made peanut brittle for my grandma, Dalpha Langford, and it is something she can eat again. She said ‘let me have more,’” Langford said with a laugh.

Langford will have a full range of her products available at the expo. Other businesses lined up for the expo include Sandy Bartolo’s “The Wooly Planner” featuring multipurpose wool felted critters like gnomes and hedgehogs; “Souljar” which offers canned full meals that can last three to five years; and “Dr. Amber’s Fire Cider,” which offers apple cider vinegar tonics that aid in digestion and health.

Other businesses will include lenders, roofers, jewelry makers, crafters, social media businesses and more. The expo also will be helpful for those looking for jobs or ways to connect with community resource groups, Estrada said.

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Small business week seminars

Other small business week events will include the “Business Start in a Day” seminar from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, May 1, at the small business development center office, 121 City Center Drive, Suite 200. The event will help new business owners learn about the Pueblo Means Business initiative and how they can apply for tax licenses, develop a business plan and more. Lunch will be provided.

On May 3, a seminar on Business Tips for Creative Arts Businesses will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Latino Chamber office, 215 S. Victoria Ave. The seminar will help artists interested in developing the business side of their artwork.

Estrada and staff members Prudence Aragon and Jackie Jimenez organized the week's activities with help from partnering agencies and sponsors. The Southern Colorado Small Business Development Center has been honored for its efforts with the national small business week award for 2023.

To register for the seminars or find out more, contact the development center at 719-549-3245, via email at southernco@coloradosbdc.org, or online at southerncoloradosbdc.org.

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Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Here's how an upcoming expo helps Pueblo small businesses