New popcorn brands popping up all over
Classic snack gets gourmet twist
It took Becky Smollett 18 months to make her popcorn.
She started by contracting out a famer’s field, to make sure the corn grown for her product was pesticide-free and not genetically modified. She oversaw the growing, drying and processing. Now her brand, From Farm to Table Canada popcorn, is available at Sobeys in four flavours: Ancient Grain, Dill Pickle, White Cheddar and Kettle Corn at $2.49 for a 65-gram bag of pre-popped popcorn.
A 250-gram tube of kernels for popping at home sells for $2.99.
Smollet’s popcorn is one of dozens of new types and flavours that are hitting the market in Canada this year.
Popcorn-makers say the trend is driven by consumer interest in healthy snacks.
Depending on how you cook it and what you put on it, popcorn can be positively virtuous. Low in fat and high in fibre, it’s a favourite among dieters who want to feel full without consuming too many calories.
Smollet was one of four independent businessmen and women selling new varieties of popcorn at the grocery innovation conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Tuesday.
The annual conference is organized by the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers.
The timing couldn’t be better for selling healthy popcorn.
Last week a U.S. court awarded $7.2-million in damages to a Denver man who developed a chronic condition known as popcorn lung from a chemical used in flavouring microwave popcorn, which he ate daily.
Bronchiolitis obliterans is an irreversible obstructive lung disease linked to the butter flavouring diacetyl, and has been diagnosed in popcorn plant workers.
It’s one of the first things Chris Magnone of Temple Lifestyle mentions as he hands out samples of Quinn Popcorn, a product his firm is importing from Boston.
“Google popcorn lung,” he says, handing down a chaser of coconut milk to go with a parmesan-and-rosemary-topped sample of popcorn.
Other Quinn flavours include Vermont Maple and Sea Salt, and Lemon and Sea Salt.
Quinn popcorn is made without preservatives, hydrogenated oils or diacetyl and is packaged for microwave popping in coated paper bags.
The canola oil and flavouring are added after popping.
The product will be sold at Longo’s beginning in November for $5.99 for two pouches of popcorn, which pop three cups each.
Indulge Gourmet Kettle Corn popcorn was founded in Richmond Hill three years and now does $300,000 in annual sales, says owner Allan Eisen, a former salesman who decided to put his talents to work for himself.
The 30-gram bag sells for $99 cents to $1.19 and the 200-gram bag sells for $3.99-$4.99.
It’s available at chef Mark McEwan’s store at the Shops of Don Mills, at Bruno’s and at Home Sense, Winners and Marshall’s, where the 200-gram bags are stocked at checkout counters.
“The popcorn market is booming. It’s because it’s a healthy snack and it’s a whole grain snack. It’s naturally gluten-free,” says Eisen.
Jacques Lalonde, founder of Papa John popcorn, agrees business is booming for popcorn makers.
He makes a pink, cotton-candy flavoured popcorn to sell as a fundraiser for breast cancer research.
In Ottawa, his popcorn has been used as a fundraiser for the United Way, selling $11,000 in the first year, $35,000 in the second year and an $50,000 this year.
The former Steinberg’s grocer and food broker, 65, founded the company six years ago.
His popcorn sells in supermarkets for $3.99 or $4.99 for a package of six. Metro sells 200-gram bags for $3.49 each. Schools buy the 22gram size (100 calories) for $1 each and sell them for $2 each as a fundraiser.
“When I started, Smartfood Popcorn by Frito-Lay and Indiana Popcorn in the U.S. were just coming in. It seems like three years ago, everybody got on board,” said Lalonde. He said his firm hit seven figures for sales last year.
“We’re popping 10,000 pounds of grain a week. I used to buy oil in 20-litre pails. Now it’s 1,100 litres a week.”
He’s not worried about competitors.
“To me, there’s enough market. I’m not even scratching the surface yet. I’m selling most of this in Ottawa.”