Justin Bishop finds and shares joy as an Upstate confectioner
Being the owner and operator of a growing confections business while working a primary full-time job and parenting two little ones is a balancing act for Justin Bishop.
“What I have had to learn is that I create the balance. It doesn’t create itself,” says Bishop, owner and candymaker of TUFT Candy Co.
It also means his candy-making time often begins weeknights after a full day of work and when the kids are in bed.
“It’s very likely that I’m working until midnight and waking up at four to make sure the gelatin has set. It’s a lot of early morning candy eating,” he says, and then laughs in a way that indicates he’s not actually joking.
Flavorful Spins on Cotton Candy at TUFT Candy Co
TUFT Candy Co. currently specializes in bringing unique flavors of cotton candy, marshmallows, and gummies to events and has recently entered the bar and restaurant space. All confections are vegan, without stabilizers or additives, and Bishop doesn’t settle for artificial flavors.
“If it’s ‘cranberry,’ it better taste like cranberry,” he says, emphasizing his use of the real fruit or spice in each flavor.
TUFT’s hand-spun cotton candy flavors include:
- Apricot
- Bartlett Pear
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Dazzling Champagne
- Mission Fig
- Sugared Grapefruit
- Guava
- Passion Fruit
- Pinot Noir
- Friar Plum
- Pomegranate
- Holiday Apple
- Sangria
- Strawberry
- Gingerbread Cookie
- Pumpkin Spice
Willy Wonka of Cotton Candy
When Bishop officially launched TUFT in 2021, the entire world was in crisis mode. The pandemic was still raging, but even before that, Bishop’s own life hit a crisis point. Four years ago, after the birth of his son, Bishop was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Two years later, the birth of his daughter during peak COVID exacerbated his illness further.
After an initial slow start, TUFT became the creative outlet that would help ease Bishop’s anxiety and help him see the good all around. TUFT’s tagline, “There is Joy Ahead,” has layers of meaning beyond what a child might feel while eagerly awaiting her freshly spun cotton candy. Bishop now sees TUFT as a way to share joy with everyone he meets.
Kicking off TUFT at Indie Craft Parade in 2021 launched the business beyond what Bishop imagined. He recalls thinking at the outset: “If I can book eight events, I’ll call it a success. We booked 40-something events.”
Without formal training, Bishop went into experimental chemist mode and leaned on his mentors to deliver on the requests he was suddenly receiving.
“You do it. You learn. You do it again,” he says.
While the rest may be history, Bishop is working toward the future. With his wife, Jamie, coming on board in a more formal administrative role and moving to a full commercial kitchen in January 2023, TUFT’s possibilities have expanded. So, when a bride calls and asks for a plated confection or a dirty martini-flavored gummy, Bishop has the space and tools he needs. It also means the team can grow to allow him to create that ever-elusive balance.
“In the next five years, I’d expect we will have a footprint,” Bishop says. “And we can keep pushing the boundaries of confections.”
