Zac Chua, 27, founder, The Kettle Gourmet

THE GUY GIVING US LOCAL POPCORN FLAVOURS:

Plain ol’ sweet and savoury snacks just cannot make it anymore, and The Kettle Gourmet’s flavours – teh tarik, bak kwa and chicken rice (yes, believe it) – have proven to be a blessing and a viable business. The company has been selling 300 to 500 bags of popcorn daily – to corporate pantries as well – since last year. And the popcorn is now in petite 30g packs, sold at $10 for three.

“I was inspired when I saw a woman smuggling nasi lemak into the cinema. I was eating popcorn and thought: Why not infuse it within the popcorn? It would be more convenient, for sure,” says Zac of his epiphany. (Sadly, nasi lemak popcorn didn’t quite make the cut, as Zac didn’t fancy being too trendy.) Zac had previously dabbled in gaming apps and sold T-shirts, and the entrepreneur always knew he wanted to be his own boss. The Singapore Management University graduate started The Kettle Gourmet for less than $100: He created a website for under $10, bought a logo from a design marketplace for $7, and printed 50 name cards for $4. But he also hustled, built a network, and adapted along the way.

Starting out, he tapped on a friend with a knack for baking. Now, he has a small team of bakers who bake the popcorn by hand daily in a central kitchen in Tai Seng. They first chose flavours based on popular Singapore dishes, because Zac wanted the snacks to appeal to locals. Then he introduced seasonal varieties like bak kwa and Baileys for Chinese New Year and Christmas.

He also got lucky: The accidental start-up took off after he tested out the popcorn at a tech event. And he’s put the business lessons he learnt to good use. His late father was a venture capitalist who taught him the value of the dollar. “When we first started, we sold individual bags, but then we realised that locking in pantry orders for an entire year helps us manage cash flow,” he explains.

What’s next? “I want to build an F&B conglomerate to introduce other snacks in addition to popcorn. That’s the end goal,” says Zac. He has already bought a chilli sauce company in Vietnam. Great, but Zac, we’re still holding out for that nasi lemak popcorn.