"Color" Adds Variety, Profit To Popcorn Business

Color Adds Variety Profit To Popcorn Business CROPS New Crops Popcorn producers Blair and Livia Townsend who farm near Walsingham Ontario have started a profitable new sideline selling colored popcorn      There are very few producers in the U S or Canada selling colored varieties Blair says People like the novelty of the colored corn and will pay more for it Some of our varieties are Strawberry Red Shamu Blue Purple Passion Peaches and Cream and Traditional Yellow      They do have a different taste that s very pleasing to the palate adds Livia They pop up very white with a colored dark center - except for the Traditional Yellow which has yellow popped kernels and the Peaches and Cream which has both yellow and white popped kernels     The Townsends started out as tobacco farmers and began developing popping corn as an alternative crop 20 years ago They grow and market up to 50 acres of popping corn and sell their product under the label Uncle Bob s Popping Corn     According to Livia the family s popcorn business is increasing yearly by 20 to 30 percent They sell retail and wholesale with a number of U S companies purchasing from them and then selling under their own brand name           A few large players dominate the popcorn industry but we have steadily expanded our market until we now sell to more than 500 stores Blair says     Colored varieties are harder to grow than traditional ones according to the couple They are also more finicky to handle requiring more cleaning and polishing      The Townsends colored popping corn is available direct from Ontario Popping Corn Co and retails for about twice the price of regular popcorn     Another very successful popping corn product is something the Townsends call Pop-a-cob It consists of an entire cob of popcorn packaged in a poly bag with a paper bag and microwave instructions for popping the corn right on the cob Pop-a-cob is available in both colored and traditional varieties      That s been a huge seller for us Livia says It s been on the market for about the last four years It retails for $1 50 to $2 per cob     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ontario Popping Corn Co Blair and Livia Townsend RR1 Walsingham Ont Canada N0E 1X0 ph 519 586-3723; fax 519 586-2913; ontpop@kwic com; www ontariopopping corn com

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