At first blush, Detroit Popcorn Co. drives revenue by popping hybrid corn kernels grown at Metzger Popcorn Farms in northern Ohio.
Once the kernels are popped and bagged, Detroit Popcorn ships its ready-to-eat snacks, available in multiple flavors, to stores, restaurants, theaters, schools, and businesses.
Founded in 1923, Detroit Popcorn also operates another line of business, renting everything from cotton candy, pretzel, and pizza makers to ice cream and popcorn carts, lemon squeezers, nacho heaters, shake and slush mixers, hot dog warmers, fryers, and snow cone machines.
“We’re two businesses in one,” says Ken E. Harris, CEO of Detroit Popcorn, which he acquired in 2020. “There’s a lot of history here. We have a popcorn machine from the old Tiger Stadium (since torn down and converted into a community sports complex flanked by apartments and retail spaces) that we no longer use, but it’s a good reminder of the company’s nostalgia that we have on display.
“Bringing it full circle, we’re in Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Tigers), the Fox Theatre, the Redford Theatre, the Detroit Zoo, the University of Michigan, and many other places. When I acquired the company, I had no idea about all of the logistics that go into running the business. There’s also a charitable aspect to the company, in which we help nonprofit organizations with fundraising programs.”
After operating for years at a spacious warehouse facility along Telegraph Road in Redford Township, Harris moved the business last summer to a newer facility at 3155 Bermuda St. in Ferndale. Located near the convergence of I-696 and I-75, the 17,105-square-foot space allows for faster delivery times while lowering the company’s overall fuel expenses.
“We can get to the east side that much quicker, which will open a new customer base for us,” Harris says. “Another new line of business we’re offering is the Pouch Pak, where you have corn kernels that can be popped in a microwave and then you pour butter flavored with salt over the popcorn.”
The new line is available at multiple Pilot Flying J truck stops and travel centers, and Harris is working to offer the Pouch Pak in Kroger and Meijer stores, among other retail centers. There’s also a wide range of gift baskets, snack tins, and tubs available for sale, whether for popcorn, caramel corn, roasted cashews, or assorted chocolate candy.
Harris, managing partner of Harris Financial, a minority-owned-and-led investor group, says he was fortunate to buy the company. It became available after a previous owner, Evan Singer, posted a racially charged comment on Facebook.
That didn’t sit well with David Farber, who held an option to reacquire the business. A few weeks later, in the summer of 2020, Harris bought all of the assets of the company from Farber for an undisclosed price.
Soon after, Harris set up a program to donate a percentage of the company’s proceeds to the Detroit Public Schools Foundation. The company also has formed a partnership with Yesterday’s Negro League Baseball Players Foundation, a nonprofit in Milwaukee that’s committed to preservation, dedication, and education about Negro League Baseball.
Working with Delaware North, the two companies sell special pins and donate part of the proceeds to the Yesterday’s Negro League Baseball Players Foundation.
“Popcorn and watching baseball go so well together,” Harris says. “This company, for whatever reason, has always had this charitable aspect to it. Other businesses support their communities, and I think because popcorn is so universally loved, and it’s fun to pop the corn, we’re always looking for new ways to help people.”
To that end, Detroit Popcorn is looking to develop a workforce development program with the Hope Network in Grand Rapids. The nonprofit organization helps people with social, physical, and mental barriers find either full-time or part-time work at 300-plus locations across Michigan, including Kroger and Meijer stores.
The goal, Harris says, is to hire 10 young adults with autism to complement Detroit Popcorn’s workforce of eight employees.
“The biggest challenge in employing people with mental or physical disabilities, along with serving refugees who may have language barriers, isn’t the job itself, but the transportation needs,” says Eddie Murray, director of donor relations for southeastern Michigan for the Hope Network, and a former kicker for the Detroit Lions (1980-1991) and other NFL teams.
“We serve more than 40,000 people annually, mostly in the seven-county area around Grand Rapids, but we also serve all 83 counties (in Michigan). Now we’re moving more into metro Detroit. When you look at a company like Detroit Popcorn, it’s a beloved business and our young adults will enjoy working there. I mean, who wouldn’t want to work in such a fun business?”
The Rundown
Percentage of sales from popcorn – 75%
Rental machines – 20%
Servicing – 5%
In addition to cleaning and storing the rental machines, one popular duty at Detroit Popcorn is bagging all the popped kernels. The main workhorse of the task is a large, stainless steel sorting machine that looks like a launch pad for a rocket.
Once the kernels are popped, they travel via a conveyor belt to the top of the machine. From there, gravity takes over and the popcorn is sorted through a series of channels that guide the snack into plastic bags. The bags are then sealed before being prepared for shipping.
“Popping the kernels is a fairly automated part of the business, and then it’s a matter of providing the different flavors,” Harris says. “We’re always looking to expand the business, and we hope to participate in the NFL Draft (coming to Detroit April 25-27). The other great part of the business is meeting so many wonderful people. You say Detroit Popcorn and you can see a smile form across everyone’s face. As I like to say, we’re still popping after 100 years.”
