Start A Gourmet Popcorn Business - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Gourmet Popcorn Business

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

The gourmet popcorn business is one of the fastest-growing snack food businesses in the world. Businesses that sell gourmet popcorn do not require as much capital as other businesses.

Gourmet popcorn businesses are recession-proof because people will always consume snacks regardless of the economy. To start a gourmet popcorn business, you must invest in equipment and cooking supplies. You can also make your popcorn home and sell it on the street.

Starting a gourmet popcorn business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell gourmet popcorn shop, or selling gourmet popcorn shop online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$8.05T
starting costs
$18.9K
gross margin
43%
time to build
270 days

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Equipment & Supply Expenses

$66

$1,200

Retail Business Expenses

$1,250

$11,650

Inventory Expenses

$350

$14,750

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$75

$9,636

Software Expenses

$0

$425

Website Costs

$13

$215

Total Startup Costs

$1,754

$37,876

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Garrett Popcorn Shops

garrettpopcorn.com

306,005

Gold Medal

gmpopcorn.com

358,205

Funky Chunky

funkychunky.com

610,835

Orville

orville.com

712,444

Original Popcorn House

originalpopcornhouse.com

957,147

Gary Poppins Popcorn

garypoppins.com

1,079,316

The Kettle Gourmet

thekettlegourmet.com

1,102,227

Mom and Popcorn

momandpopcorn.com

1,445,229

Jody's Popcorn

jodyspopcorn.com

1,485,303

Oogie's Gourmet Popcorn

oogiesnacks.com

1,830,912

Deanan Gourmet Popcorn

deanan.com

1,938,814

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Rewarding work

Starting a gourmet popcorn business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Meaningful business connections

You never know who you will meet as a gourmet popcorn business. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity!

Daily physical activity

Gourmet Popcorn Business's typically involve a much greater degree of movement than other lines of work. Most days, you will spend your day walking, running errands for your business, and performing a multitude of tasks. This can have a positive impact on energy levels and your overall health.

Amazing perks and discounts

Working in the gourmet popcorn business comes with its perks! As a seller for these products/services, you typically also get to enjoy industry perks and discounts.

You are your own boss!

With starting a gourmet popcorn business, you are the one to make decisions for almost all of the operations. Calling the shots can be empowering and liberating!

Local Community

One of the best parts of starting a gourmet popcorn business is that you can develop a local following by selling your products at craft shows, farmers' markets, or even local storefront businesses! This gives you access to additional revenue streams and loyal customers.

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your gourmet popcorn business, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Finding The Right Supplier

Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section.

Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

Low margins

The gross margins for your gourmet popcorn business are typically around 43%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.

High employee turnover

In the gourmet popcorn business, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment.

Taxes

As a gourmet popcorn business, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.