Popcorn Kitchen expands into savoury snacking
Popcorn Kitchen is moving beyond its gourmet popcorn roots with the launch of Crunch Corn — a new savoury snacking range built around Peruvian Chocolo Giant Corn and designed to tap into rising demand for HFSS‑compliant, fibre‑rich alternatives to nuts, seeds and traditional crisps.
The new line marks a significant diversification for the UK brand, which has built its reputation on premium Mushroom Corn popcorn. Founder Louise Monk describes Crunch Corn as the “inevitable next step” for a business driven by what she calls a team of “corn obsessives.”
The idea for Crunch Corn was born at Seville’s Feria de Abril in 2023, where Monk encountered giant roasted corn kernels served across the city’s bars and food stalls. The experience led her to explore the potential of Chocolo Giant Corn — a variety that dwarfs standard sweetcorn and delivers the bold crunch she wanted for a savoury line.
After a two‑year search for the right supplier and flavour profiles, Popcorn Kitchen has now finalised the range, positioning it as a “whopping, savoury sister” to its established popcorn portfolio.
Crunch Corn is pitched as a Mediterranean‑inspired, globally influenced snack that balances indulgence with nutritional reassurance. The kernels are naturally high in fibre and HFSS compliant, offering retailers a compliant savoury option at a time when many traditional snacks face reformulation pressures.
The launch lineup includes three classic flavours — Sea Salt, Salt & Vinegar and Spicy Chilli—available in 100g sharing bags. Transparent pouches reinforce the brand’s message of quality and authenticity, with Monk emphasising that Crunch Corn contains “perfectly proportioned, crunchy kernels” rather than fillers or flavour dust.
With nut and seed prices continuing to rise and allergy concerns shaping consumer behaviour, Popcorn Kitchen sees Crunch Corn as a compelling alternative for shoppers seeking crunch, flavour and value. The brand also expects the product to appeal to consumers who feel underwhelmed by standard crisps but still want a familiar savoury profile.
“We cooked up Crunch Corn because we wanted to create a more complete savoury treat for those underwhelmed by potato crisps and frustrated by spiralling costs of allergy‑risking nuts and seeds,” Monk said. “As corn obsessives already well‑versed in popcorn happiness, we felt now was the perfect moment to share new crunchy joy.”
For retailers and wholesalers, Crunch Corn represents a natural extension of Popcorn Kitchen’s brand equity in premium, grain‑based snacking. The move also aligns with broader category trends, including the rise of global‑inspired flavours, the search for HFSS‑compliant innovation and the growing consumer appetite for textural, crunchy snacks.
