BOISE, Idaho — A budding 17-year-old entrepreneur from Boise has come up with a tasteful way to beat the COVID-19 blues.
Hudson Hale and his family all came down with the coronavirus a couple of months ago.
Thankfully, none of them had detrimental symptoms.
But his bout with the potentially fatal disease got him thinking -- what could he do to give back? Especially to those who've had a much more difficult experience.
This pink package of "naturally soothing coronavirus-shaped candy" was Hale's brainchild.
"I'm trying to really make something sweet out of a sour situation," he said.
The idea came to him when he was laid-up with COVID-19, and right about the time the global death toll surpassed one million people.
"So I started kind of thinking of ways that I could help," Hale said. "Because I had all this extra time on my hands. I was quarantined because I was sick. And I just realized that a lot of people had it a lot worse off than I had."
He took to his iPad and started dropping ideas.
"Right then and there the word 'COVID Candy' kind of popped into my head because both those words fit nicely together," he said. "But they were also juxtaposing each other because who would really want to associate COVID with any type of food, candy especially."
He knew eye-catching, clever packaging would help sell the idea.
So the up-and-coming product designer who tinkered with cardboard designs as a kid, started doodling different ideas.
"So I just started drawing up a bunch of designs, kind of unique cartoons of the most prominent figures during the pandemic," Hale said.
"We have Dr. Anthony Fauci, Trump, Rosie the Riveter just because she's a symbol of power, President Biden and President Xi Jinping from China," he said. "And then we have just some guys in HAZMAT suits on the side. And then in the back there's God and Adam kind of bumping elbows instead of fingers or hands based off of Michelangelo's painting."
Hale's sugar-laced levity in an otherwise serious situation, is really catching on. Online sales so far have topped $18,000 in two-and-a-half months, with 100 percent of proceeds going to COVID-19 response and relief efforts.
"Since all the profits are being donated, 100% of them, I think it's a good way to have funny designs, make fun of the bad situation that we're all in, but also make sure it's going toward a good cause," he said.
Big ideas can come in small packages.
“Some have asked, you know Hudson why don't you just donate 50 percent of the profits," Hale said. "But the way that I see it, I'm doing this all for the experience. And for what I'm able to give back to the community. And I think that's the most important thing."
Hale said his goal is to sell 2,500 COVID Candies, but he's willing to make more. You can get yours and give back to COVID relief at COVIDCandies.com.
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