Popping Perfection: The Sweet & Savory Journey of Pop's Praiseworthy Popcorn

“All popcorn has its place! But I am always looking for the right balance,” said Nicole Jones, founder of Pop’s Praiseworthy Popcorn. She has been perfecting this mission of hers for years. Pop’s was a passion project, started when Nicole’s daughter went away to college. Her and her daughter bonded over their adoration of popcorn, so when her ‘kernel’ fled, she decided to share her popcorn with the public and get consumer feedback. Starting in farmers markets, Pop’s has now entered the retail sector and can be found in all Union Kitchen stores! 

Pop’s Praiseworthy Popcorn is made with a mushroom kernel, which is described to have more of a firm bite to it. In comparison to its competition, the butterfly kernel, mushroom kernels have less parts that could potentially break off into little pieces, making it the ideal kernel for the eccentric flavors Nicole has envisioned. Nicole’s goal is ensure that your bag of Pop’s Praiseworthy will be filled as much as possible, with full and delicious kernels each handful.

Pop’s Praiseworthy is introducing three sweet and savory popcorn flavors to the retail market: Luscious Lavender, Red-Hot Rosemary, and Heavenly Kettle. Each bag of Pop’s has a different profile but the same perfect balance of salty and sweet. Luscious Lavender has an effervescent aroma immediately when you open the bag, transporting you to a lavender field in the south of France. Luscious Lavender is not just flavored with a floral extract, in each handful you will see lavender petals coating each kernel. The bite is sweet and aromatic, with a balancing note of salt at the end. Red-Hot Rosemary is a heat + sweet lover's dream. Immediately you will see the spices coating each kernel, not missing a millimeter of its canvas. The sugary kettle tones down the spicy nature of the cayenne, and finishes with aromatic sprigs of rosemary. It is one of the most entertaining snacks you can eat. Heavenly Kettle is your perfected and reliable kettle corn. Pop’s has sophisticated the county fair classic, not settling for anything other than a symbiotic balance of salty and sweet.

The launch process, like for most CPG brands, was not exactly a perfect transition. Pop’s has had issues throughout the process with the supply chain. She had to wait eight months just to receive her popper, the backbone of her whole production. Because of this, Pop’s was not able to launch anywhere near as quickly as they anticipated. 

Nicole reflected on advice she would give to a future food entrepreneur, “You need  to have passion for your product and what you do. Joining the Accelerator helps with all the things you don’t know. I know my product, but I don’t know the ins and outs of this business.”

Head to your neighborhood Union Kitchen and grab a bag of Pop’s Praiseworthy Popcorn For more updates on Pop's Praiseworthy Popcorn, check out their instagram at Pop's Praiseworthy!