Online popcorn sales are booming during lock down, reports Popcorn Shed

Quick thinking by the team at Popcorn Shed has seen an incredible increase in business since lockdown, with B2C sales up 250% since March, and according to Stackline’s Top 100 Fastest Growing & Declining Categories in E-commerce Popcorn is one of the top 30 fastest growing categories. 

While many small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges the popcorn sector is growing at an unprecedented rate.  Business at the Popcorn Shed is thriving at the multi-award winning gourmet popcorn brand as the country swaps nights out for nights in front of the TV. 

Until lockdown most of the Popcorn Shed’s business was wholesale, B2B and direct to cinemas, shops, distributors etc.  Almost overnight this revenue stream went quiet as traditional B2B customers closed their doors.  The Popcorn Shed team quickly pivoted when they saw an opportunity to increase its online sales and launched a digital marketing campaign to spread the word about its Popcorn Shed and its vegan Mini Pop! Gourmet flavoured popcorn range.  As a result the brand has seen its online sales grow 250% month on month from March to April 2020, and they are up 1200% from April 2019 to April 2020 (month on month comparison). 

Laura Jackson, director of Popcorn Shed, says: “As a business we had to act fast and were forced to focus all our efforts into improving and directing traffic to our online channels and moving to a more business to consumer model.  In the first few days after lock down we had to completely up skill ourselves adapt quickly to reach a different customer.  Suddenly we were learning how to use Facebook and Google adverts, which we had not really used previously.  We redistributed our budget from product development into online advertising and the results speak for themselves”. 

Since its launch in 2016, multi-award winning gourmet popcorn brand, Popcorn Shed has gone from humble beginnings in a garden shed to supplying top retailers including Harrods, Selfridge, etc and exporting to over 20 countries worldwide.

“Customer love popcorn and with all the movie nights in for the time being, our products are a great snack,” says Jackson

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You don’t need a Birthday Cake When you have Got Birthday Cake Popcorn!

At Popcorn Shed we love birthdays and feel like it’s the best reason for a daily party, as it’s always someone’s birthday… somewhere! Though eating a whole cake every day might be a bit much, we sure do love the sweet and creamy flavour of a good birthday cake. That’s why we’ve come up with the perfect solution: Birthday Cake popcorn! This new gourmet popcorn flavour tastes just like a birthday cake, but without the fuss of having to go to the bakery or baking a cake yourself!

What’s in our new birthday cake popcorn you’re wondering? It’s a sweet vanilla cake caramel popcorn with white chocolate and birthday cake sprinkles. It’s basically cake coloured popcorn tumbled through confetti to make it look like an actual birthday cake! We love popcorn, we love cake, and we love colorful things, which is why this coloured popcorn is one of the (only) the best things that happened to 2020.

This Birthday cake popcorn bonanza is sprinkled with love and birthday-tastic wishes wrapped up in a beautiful bow because every day should be deliciously special! Not having to bake a cake will save you a lot of time, which you can then spend on decorating the house and buying gifts (of popcorn, of course!). That’s even more reasons to choose Popcorn Shed’s Birthday Cake popcorn!

Next to our Birthday Cake popcorn, we launched another wonderful flavour of coloured popcorn: rainbow popcorn! Its vanilla caramel flavoured gourmet popcorn with all colours of the rainbow. Doesn’t that sound POPtastic? It’s the coloured popcorn flavour you didn’t know you needed in life!

Both our rainbow popcorn and our birthday cake popcorn are sold in our signature popcorn ‘sheds’: shed shaped boxes. This makes them perfect as a birthday gift of popcorn. Next to these two new flavours, we’ve got over twelve other delicious gourmet popcorn flavours and a vegan mini popcorn range. We offer a wide range of wonderful gift bundles with both sweet and savoury popcorn flavours, meaning there’s something to everyone’s liking. Which flavour are you going for?

With our birthday cake popcorn, coloured rainbow popcorn and our popcorn gift bundles, we’ve got everything to make every party a special one! At Popcorn Shed you’re guaranteed to get a bit of celebration in every single kernel. And if you don’t know anyone who’s celebrating a birthday soon, treat yourself like it’s your own birthday. You can have our cake and eat it too. POP hurray!!

Ten Easy Things You Can Do To Get Your Girlfriend The Best Valentine Popcorn Gifts In The World – Part 1

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3 – Think about her goals and interests

What interests her?

If you don’t know – well, perhaps this is a new relationship – but in any case, be more subtle than just outright asking – look at the things that are significant in her life. For example, is there a specific movie or book that she likes? Is there a specific scene in that movie that resonates with her? Why? Does she identify with a specific character? Or, does she like the scene stylistically? Analyze the hell out of that shit and take note.

Facebook can be a good tool here. See what she likes. See what groups she belongs to. What do her best friends like to do? Is she into sports? Travel? Food? Something more esoteric?

Goals are an extension of this. Where does she want to be short-term? Is there a specific job she would like to have? Can you get her something that may move her even a little bit closer to that goal?

And, further expanding – what does she want out of life? What can you do to help move her closer to that goal? And, assuming you’re on board with this girl – how can you frame the gift in a context that has you in the picture?

4 – Understand the Nuisances in her Life

Hopefully this doesn’t include you.

If she complains a lot about something that you can fix, this is a wonderful opportunity. For example, maybe a light fixture is broken, or her DVD is dead, or maybe there are some nasty plumbing issues. If you have the know-how, put it to work and resolve some of the stress in her life. Or maybe her house/apartment/car could use some cleaning? Find the nuisance – and exploit it.

Hmm, that sounded a bit ominous…

5 – Don’t create a burden

Sometimes a gift is the gift that just keeps on giving – in a bad way. Anything that can create undue stress because of the hidden time or money costs, expectations, or interference with current or aspired-for lifestyle – can create a burden.

A puppy is maybe the canonical example. If your girlfriend is interested in international travel or the prospect of international travel – especially if it’s longer-term – then owning a dog probably does not fit into the equation.

A more innocuous example is buying lessons for your girlfriend. Lessons mean a time commitment that might not look bad at the outset, but could create resentment towards you as time wears on, particularly if the class is not going well. One possible exception is a set of lessons that you know she wants to take that you take as well. If you’re (wo?)man enough to buy you and her dance lessons for six weeks, you’ve created an opportunity to spend a little bit of fixed time with her each week. And, if she starts to get bummed out by it – just agree and cheerfully quit with her.

Finally – don’t get a gift that creates the expectation that she needs to improve. A gym membership is probably an unwise gifts idea, for example.

6 – Envision her with the valentine gift

This is important: envision what her likely reaction is when she receives the gift. Is it positive? Envision an alternative, where her reaction is not so positive – how do you react? In the event of a potential misfire, how can you frame the gift in such a way that maximize the gift-giving value – and possibly salvage it completely?

For example, if she doesn’t understand why you would get her a certain gift, explain. “I got it because you couldn’t stop talking about SCUBA diving after we went to see that movie Open Water…” Even if the gift itself is a misfire, if you can tie it back to a shared – preferably enjoyable – experience that demonstrates you were intently listening to her, the gift will be a success. It really is the thought that counts.

Also – pay attention to her style. Not merely her sense of fashion – although that plays a factor – but also how compatible the gift is with everything else in her life, stylistically. If it looks wonky, she won’t fully appreciate it. In other words, get her the SCUBA gear that matches her favorite color of the lip gloss she always wears.

Zodiac Gourmet Popcorn Match: Capricorn Edition

Happy New Year and welcome to Capricorn season!

If you’re a Capricorn you are born between December 22nd – January 19th and you are represented as a symbol of a goat with a fishtail. Before we dive into your perfect popcorn pairing we wanted to give you some fun facts about the traits and characteristics of a Capricorn.

Common characteristics to describe this zodiac sign is that they are practical and ambitious. They are realistic in their goals and path they set for themselves. This sign is very logical and thinking thoroughly before making a decision whether it’s big or small. Capricorns are also very hardworking and ambitious to be the very best version of themselves. Once they set a goal they follow through with it and do what they can to make that dream a reality. This could be to prove people wrong who doubted them or prove it to themselves how capable they are.

Capricorns are also very reliable and stubborn people. You always can depend on this sign to get something done and commitment to whatever it may be. But, for this sign it’s very hard to change their mind, similar to a Taurus. Once they’ve made up their mind it will take moving a mountain to change it. 

Now that we know that Capricorns are practical and stubborn, we have come up with a few popcorn options that will be great for you and any Capricorn in your life! We’re pretty sure we’ve come up with a list of flavours that you won’t be able to resist!

1. Goat Cheese
Their savoury dreams became a reality with this popcorn! This flavour comes with creamy and zesty goat cheese with a light topping of black pepper that melts in your mouth. It’s even a better combination with a cheese board or your favourite drink of choice. 

2. Peanut Butter
Capricorns will be happy with this small decision when they try Butterly Nuts. It’s made from fresh creamy peanut butter with real peanut halves mixed into the popcorn for added texture. This peanut butter shed is any nut lover’s dream come true!

3. Mini Pop! Sweet and Salty
This is a great reliable flavour for any Capricorn. You know exactly what you’re getting when you eat this flavour. It’s a sweet and salty classic you need in your life!

Can you relate to the above? Or do you feel completely different about your zodiac sign? Let us know on socials @popcornshed!

The Tastiest Christmas Recipes with Popcorn

Christmas is around the corner and we can’t be more excited! Because we can’t go out for dinner this year and we’re only allowed to spend the holidays in small groups of people, why not show off and make some delicious treats? We’ve put together a list of our favourite sweet and savoury Christmas recipes for you and your family and friends to enjoy. We’re pretty sure you’ll impress them all! Which recipe are you going for?

Pear and Blue Cheese Popcorn Tarts

CLICK HERE

 Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Popcorn Truffles

CLICK HERE

Vegan Popcorn Christmas Bundt Cake

CLICK HERE

Avocado on Toast with White Truffle and Mushrooms

CLICK HERE

Vegan Chocolate and Popcorn Ice Cream

CLICK HERE

Feeling inspired? There’s a lot more where this came from! Check out the recipe section on our website or keep an eye out on our socials for the latest creations.

Making one of these recipes? Make sure to tag us @popcornshed for the chance to win more popcorn!

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Who Invented Popcorn First?

Who can we thank for inventing popcorn first? The exact origins of popcorn aren’t truly known. We can narrow it down to a few different groups, and one or two general geographic areas, but that’s all we know about who invented popcorn first. The only thing that seems certain: popcorn began in the America’s. Popcorn has been around a long time. In fact, there is evidence of popping kernels in some very old archaeological sites. There have also been discoveries of crude popcorn gifts poppers and some quite ornate.

Popcorn has been found in some unusual sites. I am a huge popcorn fan, however when my time on earth is through, I certainly don’t plan to be buried with popcorn. Yet that is just what seems to have happened with some of the ancient inhabitants of modern-day Peru. A tomb that has been dated to be over 1,000 years old, was found to contain unstopped popcorn grains. The deceased revered the popcorn enough to try and take it with him. His loved ones had preserved the kernels very well. When a few of the unstopped kernels were heated, they popped right up.

The original archaeologist have dated the ears to be 5,600 years old. There has been some debate as to the exact age of these samples. Some of the low estimates come at over 1750 years old. There are a few other opinions in between those two. It’s interesting to see how important our popcorn is – it has sparked an academic debate!

There’s no party without birthday Cake… Popcorn!

Here at Popcorn Shed HQ we think it’s always time to celebrate, as it’s always someone’s birthday… somewhere. We love parties and we think our newest gourmet popcorn flavours are the TOP of the POPs to celebrate it with! Because let’s be honest: there ain’t no party like a popcorn party! 

That is why we recently launched birthday cake popcorn: sweet vanilla cake caramel popcorn with white chocolate and birthday cake sprinkles. It’s basically cake coloured popcorn tumbled through confetti to make it look like an actual birthday cake. How amazing is that?! This Birthday cake popcorn bonanza is sprinkled with love and birthday-tastic wishes wrapped up in a bow because every day should be deliciously special! 

Next to being super delicious, this birthday cake popcorn is also a super clever way to not having to bake a birthday cake, which can take ages. That will save you a lot of time to buy gifts (of popcorn, of course), blow some balloons and decorate the house. Even more reasons to choose Popcorn Shed!

And what is a birthday without gifts? Give something unique this year with our gifts of popcorn. We’ve got plenty of delicious popcorn bundles and brightly coloured popcorn tasting packs available. And did you hear about our new rainbow popcorn? As the second new gourmet flavour in our range, this definitely is one you can’t miss. Multi coloured popcorn, as bright as it can be! With a delicious caramel base and subtle vanilla flavour, this’ll definitely go down a treat too. 

We call this one the ‘rainbow shed’ as it’s filled with sunshine, positive vibes and sprinkled with a little fairy magic. Rainbow is the universal symbol of hope and promise. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Because no two kernels pop the same. Are you ready to try the crunchiest rainbow you will ever taste? Make sure to not leave this shed unattended, as leprechauns might come to steal it and put in their big pot of gold!

At Popcorn Shed we’ve got all the Birthday essentials: an amazing range of popcorn gifts and a wide variety of flavours like a deliciously sweet birthday cake popcorn AND beautiful coloured rainbow popcorn. This sounds like a fabulous birthday party in the making, with a bit of celebration in every single kernel. And if you don’t know anyone who’s celebrating a birthday soon, treat yourself like it’s your own birthday. You can have our cake and eat it too. POP POP hurray!!

Looking for a Special Gift? Why not give your Loved one some Christmas Popcorn?

Though Christmas is going to be very different this year, at Popcorn Shed we are convinced that it is not cancelled! We have got a lot of amazing Christmas popcorn gifts available in our shop. Because let’s be honest, can you think of a tastier Christmas gift than popcorn? We can’t imagine that there’s anything you’d put higher up your Christmas wish list. That’s why we have created a range of beautiful Christmas gifts that even Santa himself will be jealous of. Merry Christmas popcorn gift tins, reusable gifting jars and a big variety of bundles available in every popcorn flavour you can think of. Salted caramel, Birthday cake, peanut butter and even cheddar cheese, we’ve got popcorn flavours for everyone!

Our new special popcorn flavour in our gourmet range this year is our Christmas Pudding gourmet popcorn. A mix of rich caramel and lots of festive spice, this is the ultimate Christmas popcorn you definitely can not miss! This limited edition flavour is not only available in our Christmas themed Santa Shed, but is also one of the three popcorn flavours in the Merry Christmas Gift Tin!

Next to our new Christmas popcorn we have got a variety of colourful Christmas gifts with super delicious premium gourmet popcorn flavours, and even some low calorie, vegan options. Something for everyone!

The best thing is, all of our Christmas popcorn gifts are available in our webshop. This year it might be a bit difficult to go Christmas shopping, so why not buy your popcorn online? We’ve got an easy and quick order process and tracked delivery available for UK mainland and we can also ship internationally. That means you can send our popcorn all over the world! Christmas shopping literally can’t get any easier! Order popcorn online now, and we’ll make sure to deliver it at your doorstep in time before Christmas. You can even get it delivered to a dear friend or loved family member directly. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Looking for bigger quantities? Our popcorn is available for wholesale too! Get in touch with the Popcorn Shed team and get your wholesale popcorn order going today.

We are all in for the Christmas spirit and think everyone should be able to have a bit of fun after the rough year we’ve all had. Shop small and most importantly, stay safe. Let’s make this the best Christmas ever, shall we?

Vegan Popcorn Crusted Macaroni and Cheese

Whether you love it or you hate it, everyone knows mac and cheese right? But have you ever tried a vegan popcorn one? We collaborated with our friends at Borna Foods to make this Vegan Pistachio Macaroni and Cheese, with popcorn as the perfect (and much more tasteful) replacement for boring breadcrumbs. Head over to our Instagram now to win our MiniPop! range and a variety of Borna Pistachio products to make it yourself, or shop Borna here: https://www.bornafoods.com/shop-for-all/

Ingredients:

(makes dinner for 2)

• 1 cup macaroni
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tablespoons vegan butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups Pistachio Mylk
• 3 tbsp nutritional east
• 3 tbsp Pure 100% Crunchy Pistachio Butter
• 1 cup vegan shredded cheese
• 1 pack Sea Salted MiniPop!
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain thoroughly when done.
2. Preheat oven to 180C.
3. Prepare the cheese sauce while oven is warming. In a small pot, combine olive oil and flour and cook until fragrant. 
4. Slowly add in the pistachio mylk so that flour mixture is properly incorporated. 
5. Add salt, pepper, nutritional yeast and vegan shreds to the sauce. Cook until cheese is melted. 
6. Place macaroni and cheese sauce into a small oven safe dish. Add pistachio butter.
7. Top with popcorn and bake for 20-25 mins. 
8. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Easy as that! Don’t forget to tag us @popcornshed on socials when you recreate this, or one of our other recipes. Make sure you follow @bornafoods as well, for yummy pistachio products and more of these amazing recipes!

Weight Loss & Healthy Popcorn Snacks Foods

Who does not enjoy eating? It is a kind of trick question since we all need sustenance in order to survive. But for many of us, we enjoy food just little too much and that is a problem. Eating food – especially unhealthy foods – will cause you to gain weight and can lead to obesity. This in turn creates problems like high blood pressure, weakened legs, and a greater chance of heart disease. Is there any hope? If course! It is not all gloom and doom.

How are people supposed to fight off weight gain? A combination of strength training, cardio exercises, and healthy popcorn snacks foods will do the trick. A healthy diet is an important aspect of any attempt to lose weight, and while controlling what you eat and portion size is important, adding low fat snack foods in the mix is fine just as long as you do not overindulge. You are probably saying, “But is snacking not recommended for dieters?” The most accurate answer is yes and no. Yes, in that if you overeat popcorn snacks it will ruin your diet. No, in that eating small, healthy snacks in between your meals will help curb cravings for unhealthier foods.

When dieting, remember that controlled portions of healthy foods is essential.

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