Provided by:
GOLD MEDAL PRODUCTS CO.
10700 Medallion Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45241
Phone: (513) 769-7676 (800) 543-0862
Fax:
(513) 769-8500 (800) 542-1496
e-mail: [email protected] www.gmpopcorn.com
How to Make Money With Popcorn
(And Other Fun Foods)
INTRODUCTION
Many people purchase a Gold Medal Popcorn Machine or Funnel Cake Fryer or Cotton Candy
Machine and have visions of dollar signs rolling over in their mind – but when they plug the
machine in, the world fails to beat a pathway to the concession stand – and the “Get Rich Quick
Dream” is shattered. There are other people who buy a Gold Medal Popcorn Machine or Cotton
Candy unit, set it into operation, and have a virtual non-stop profit making operation. As a
matter of fact, when you can sell all the output of virtually any Gold Medal piece of equipment,
it doesn’t take much more than three solid days, all day long, for that machine to pay for itself
out of gross profit margins.
What is the key to success? Certainly, it helps to have a perfect location for it. Location means
being right in the middle of peak traffic, constantly high traffic, so that you don’t need to do
anything to stimulate sales – rather, the impulse appeal of popcorn (or other Fun Food) would
generate its own sales.
Only a fortunate few have this type location – this booklet is for everybody else who has to work
a little bit after you “plug it in.”
That’s right – most people who purchase Fun Food machines cannot plug it in and forget about
it! Probably 50% of the people who do just that, still enjoy fairly brisk business – They get an
excellent return on their investment – and therefore, they confuse “doing quite well” with “doing
as well as possible!” Therefore, this booklet should be especially helpful to those who set their
Fun Food sales goals high, and constantly are on the lookout for ways to maximize sales of any
particular Fun Food – or of all items on the Fun Food smack bar menu. Yes, almost everybody
can do dramatically better with promotional activity or merchandising activity.
Therefore, this booklet is a smorgasbord of ideas, which can work for you – ideas that no doubt
have worked for someone else, and may be working right now for someone else. Many of these
ideas are ones which have been “borrowed” (or stolen) from some of the smartest people in the
concession stand operating profession.
Of course, some of these items are particularly appropriate for an amusement park – some work
particularly well in a roller rink – some are more appropriate for a convenience grocery store –
some might be ideal for a little league baseball field concession stand. Therefore, before you
start going through the book, go to your desk, pull out your yellow “highlight” marker—and, as
you go through each idea, use your highlight liner to emphasize ideas which might work for you.
It’s almost too elementary to say “plan your promotions – then work your plan!” However, that
certainly is the first step on your road to greater snack bar success.
2
POPCORN MACHINE PLACEMENT
Your popcorn machine, beverage dispenser, hot dog rotisserie – and any other type of “action”
machine should be on the front counter wherever possible – certainly, your highest profit margin
items should be “up-front.” There’s a difference of 30% to 50% in sales of many impulse snacks
which comes when you take the machine off the back bar and put it on the front counter.
Illumination: Always select equipment which has illumination – you pay for that once—
the lights under the popper dome attract customers to your snack bar forever.
“Profit Pairing”: Place your popcorn machine next to the item that is most logical to be
sold as a companion snack. Customers see both, and buy both. (This is also a way to
improve worker productivity when you happen to promote “popcorn and cold drinks” for
example.) Keep the profit mates together.
Spend the money to get the machine which says, “Popcorn” in a manner which is as
visible as possible from as far away as is possible. Or, if you’re selecting Antique
equipment, get your Antique equipment out where people can see it – usually Antique
equipment helps attract more attention, create more impulses, and therefore more impulse
sales.
POPPER APPEARANCE
The next page in the outline is the “In-Store Popcorn Machine Check List” which
mentions several points – each of which actually helps improve popcorn sales. For your
type operation each of these checkpoints may not be 100% appropriate – so, modify the
in-store popcorn machine checklist with checkpoints that are significant. In addition, the
following points help improve popcorn sales.
Clean it – every evening at the close of business, pack all of the popped popcorn into
polybags, tie it tightly with a twist-em, and then thoroughly clean the machine.
Fill it during working hours. Always keep a moderate display of popped popcorn – never
get down to the absolute bottom – likewise, don’t fill it all the way up – give room to start
popping in advance of an anticipated rush so that the aroma is there.
Keep it hot – when you are popping, you may keep the door of the machine open so that
the steam given off will escape and not fog up the windows. Once you have finished
popping, keep the machine doors closed so that the corn stays “kettle crisp” all the time.
Light it up – make sure you have the light bulbs in the dome working – this point is on
the checklist
Keep the kettle clean – with every new Gold Medal popper we have been furnishing a piece of
terrycloth which can be folded four to six thickness’ and used as a “clean kettle wiper”. Keep
your terrycloth clean kettle wiper clean – after every 3 or 4 batches of corn, hold the kettle dumb
knob, and with the other hand, take the folded towel and wipe the sides of the kettle with the
3
towel – reverse hands on the kettle dump knob and wipe the lip of the kettle and the other side.
Do not bake on spilled popping oil.
Use coconut oil for a cleaner kettle – coconut oil is a “fully saturated” popping oil, and will not
form black varnish inside and outside your kettle. Coconut oil will never turn rancid as will
virtually every “liquid” oil.
Education: Educate your operator to pop at least 4 or 5 batches each time the machine is
turned on.
Careful with the scoop: Do not “jab” the scoop into the tender kernels – rather, try to scoop from
the bottom with the metal of the scoop in touch with the metal on the “floor” (or deck) of the
popcorn machine. This will cut back on breakage.
Check the “old maid” drawer – too many old maids can mean your corn has dried out, or you
have bought poor corn, or possibly your kettle is not getting to the proper popping temperature.
That means you are selling tough popcorn – they will never come back for seconds. If you have
too many little white “butterfly ears” which have been broken off of kernels and now are in the
old maid drawer, re-educate the operator on proper use of the popcorn scoop. Teach them how
to develop a light soft touch – metal to metal contact.
Do not over salt – Portion Pak popcorn does not really cost money in the long run – it saves
money, because your corn never dries out – you get maximum expansion in every batch of
corn—you have exactly the proper corn to salt ratio. If you over-salt for one solid weed, it might
take as long as 6 months to get your loyal customers back. How much does that cost?
Containers – specialized containers are available for specialized sales opportunities.
Normally, a popcorn bag is slow working – it requires two hands to eat corn out of a popcorn bag
– it’s difficult to display corn in paper bags – therefore, make your “personal size” either the
popcorn cone (preferable in “walk-away” situations like swimming pools, youth baseball parks,
convenience stores, etc.) and go with a couple of sizes of popcorn boxes as “popcorn for two” or
your “family size.” Where you use tray service such as in a roller rink, fast food location, etc.,
your personal size should be the scoop box. Do not overlook the “take-home” potential of the
“family size” or “party pack”. This would be the 18” (one-gallon size) or 30” (two-gallon size)
“Heap-O-Corn” polybag, which you tie tightly with a twist-em or you, can heat seal. Rack them
up like cordwood for high impulse sales.
Make a change for the butter: Some people feel theatres have a patent on the right to sell
popcorn topped off with a serving of imitation butter. Actually almost anyone will dramatically
increase popcorn profits once you sell popcorn “just like the movies” – topped off with the butter
– or imitation butter. Always offer two sizes of “buttered” corn – the 24-ounce cup and the 46ounce cup are ideal. (Have patience when you introduce popcorn “just like the movies” –
sometimes it might take as long as 30 days to really get it rolling well.)
4
POPCORN PROMOTION
General: Here we come to the smorgasbord of popcorn promotion ideas. Some may apply to
your circumstances – some are obviously not applicable. Some may seem rather far out – but
possible to at least test. Remember, if you “plug it in and forget it”, your customers may forget
it, too. Therefore, even though your profit percentage may be cut by a promotion, you do not
spend percentages – you spend the money that is realized as “total gross profit margin dollars.”
The important thing is to accelerate the momentum of sales from the first day you receive your
machine (or open for the season) – keep it exciting – keep your long profit items on a pedestal,
so to speak. You can try some of these ideas.
Summary on coupons: Surveys prove that more than 75% of all households in America are avid
coupon redeemers. Not just at the supermarket – but at the drug store – the auto parts
warehouse, automobile service agencies – you name it, there’s a coupon for it – except at snack
bars and concession stands. If there’s a way you can pass out coupons at your “admission gate”
or “ticket window” or as customers buy a given item with a coupon “tipped on”, try it. Use your
imagination – coupons work.
OTHER PROMOTIONAL IDEAS:
Run a free popcorn weekend when you install a new popper – the Cone-O-Corn full has a total
cost of about 5¢.
Sometime run a “Dime Day” – or 15¢ Day – “Let’s roll back prices to the good old days.”
Tie-ins on your menu board – a large popcorn with a large soft drink. This “two for” can be a
permanent part of your menu board – not just a “coupon special.”
Buy one large drink – get a cone of corn for free.
If you have a chain operation, sponsor internal contests between units – stimulate friendly
competition and enthusiasm among your employees.
Use your PA System, if you have one, to say, “The fun’s not over when you are on the way
home – take home a family size pack of our (fill in) perfectly popped gourmet popcorn!” Or,
“We are running a “TV football special tonight on our two gallon size regular $1.25 family pack
of fresh popcorn – only 99¢!”
Use the popcorn tree to display the carry-home polybag sizes. Remember, poly keeps the corn
crisp – popcorn boxes for take-home do not.
Community Involvement – Tie in your popcorn with various community happenings: parades,
ecology programs, community events, anniversaries, pioneer days, school holidays.
Exit traffic pattern sales: It’s important to make it easy for them to buy the big size “as they
leave” (whether it’s a discount store, a swimming pool, a little league baseball field, convenience
store, theatre, state lottery ticket outlet, etc.
5
Cash Register Tie-In – If your register can do it, run a “Star” on every 25th Sale – or let a bell
ring on some sort of counting device, so that you give every 50th purchase for free. Some people
can mark containers.
Can you “sample” – in may areas, you cannot have an “open bowl” – but in a beverage carryout,
for example, maybe you can use a 5 ounce paper cone shaped cup and give free samples – about
one mouthful in a 5 ounce cone shaped cup – when they sample it, they’ll buy a big bag.
15 Minute Special – the regular 40¢ cup of popcorn with butter for the next 15 minutes half price
(or 25¢)!
Wear the Popcorn Paper Hats one day.
Have your personnel wear the “Everybody Loves Popcorn” button. See your dealer.
Container Redemption – A youngster brings 10 empty popcorn containers back to the
refreshment stand and gets a free cone of corn.
Autumn Special – Cider and Popcorn as a tie-in during the period when Cider is cheap.
Planned Promotion – If you don’t discipline yourself to plan a six month schedule, you will
never really promote popcorn on a continuing basis. So, lay your plan – markup a calendar –
follow your plan.
Good report card – all A’s and B’s gets a youngster a free cone of popcorn.
Possibly give some “free cone of popcorn” coupons to the local pediatrician or pediatric dentist –
for being “brave at the doctor’s office” or “brave at the dentist’s office.” It costs you a nickel,
and gets a customer to come in.
“Free Popcorn with every $4.00 purchase or more”. (This kind of “special” is a goodwill builder
– doesn’t cost much and seems like a 25¢ discount.)
Always include a popcorn popper in your “training store,” so new franchisees and new Store
Managers will learn how to properly maximize popcorn sales and profits.
Every 60 days, devote 10 to 20 minutes to “popcorn merchandising” at Supervisors Meetings.
Use the October is Popcorn Month logo as shown here.
Always display some Heap-O-Popcorn bags at your potato chip and pretzel display area –
discontinue purchasing popped popcorn from your potato chip source.
Free cone of popcorn with every 8 gallons fill up of gas. (Obviously, you can use this idea only
where you retail gasoline.)
6
If you are near a school, always turn your popcorn machine “on” 15minutes before the “school is
out” bell rings – or approximately 15 minutes before any other expected rush at noon or in the
evening, for example.
T.V. WATCHING SPECIAL: Print up some 8” or 10” signs to put onto the doors of your
upright beverage coolers, which say, “TV Watching” Special – Take home our regular 79¢ (or
89¢) party size 30” Heap-O-Popcorn for only 47¢. (You still more than double your money.)
An important tip on popping: If your corn is not yellow enough, chances are likely your clerk is
putting the oil bar into the kettle, and then waits until it melts before adding the corn. The
popping oil should be put in first and immediately followed with the cup containing the proper
amount of popcorn and Flavacol Seasoning Salt. This will make your corn a more buttery-like
yellow, in appearance; it will sell better.
To answer the question, “How do you keep your machine clean?” Here are some ideas.
CC1. Point out to the manager that his bonus depends on profits – and the more you can sell of a
77% gross profit item like popcorn, the more money it puts in his pocket.
CC2. Authorize your supervisor to get a $2.50 “merchandise order” to a clerk, if, during one of
his unannounced visits the popper “In Store Check List” is being performed up to snuff.
Announce this in advance.
CC3. Have your cleaning cloth in a handy position – teach your clerk to reach for the wiping
cloth after you dump the final kettle of corn in a series of poppings, make sure the wiping cloth is
folded to about 8 thickness’ – and simply wipe the front and rear lip of the kettle. This can
actually be done at virtually anytime prior to the next time you heat the kettle for a series of
poppings.
CC4. Prior to the close of business in the evening, instruct your clerk to fill up some of the 30”
Heap-O-Corn Bags, completely empty the machine every night. The usual “excuse” for not
cleaning the machine is in fact that there is still popped popcorn in it. But empty the machine
every night – there is no excuse for not cleaning it. (Besides, the corn that your pack in poly will
stay crisper – the corn you leave in the machine overnight will not stay crisp!)
A tip on the use of bags: Many dealers are “willing” to sell you bags for popcorn – and we
confess that we sell millions of bags annually. This is a “creature of habit” – a throwback to
antiquity. A bag is a cumbersome container in the personal, small size (see the recommended
container sheet) – a bag is a two handed container – the bag is an open container and, therefore,
is not really appropriate for a family take-home size. Use a large family size popcorn Box
(which you can close up) when you sell approximately a 2 ounce size of corn for take-out – but
for a 3 ounce to 8 ounce take-home “party size” sell your corn in poly bags to protect against
moisture loss – to retain the crispness.
An important tip on crispness: The infrared light in all Gold Medal Popcorn Poppers (as well as
in all competitive machines) is totally incapable of penetrating deeply into even an “adequate”
depth of popcorn on display.
7
Therefore, you must generate heat from the bottom via either a hot air blower/warmer system,
(such as in our Deluxe Whiz Bang or Citation) – a second best method would be the strip heater
which is standard in Pop-A-Lots, Whiz Bangs, Econo-Pops and Pinto-Pops.
Approximately once a year and maybe October is a good time, because October is Popcorn
Month, have your supervisors or your Store Managers check the “deck” or “floor” of the popcorn
machine to make certain the strip heater has not burned out or for some other reason is not
functioning. Serve crisp corn and you will sell more of it.
THE POPCORN INSTITUTE: (An Association of Growers and Processors of Corn) They
annually designate October as Popcorn Month. Ask your popcorn supplier for new point-ofpurchase signs for use during “Popcorn Month.”
Do not downplay the “Popcorn Sales Contest” idea. It works. The owner of a chain of 15 stores
told us that the “champ” in his popcorn contest increased popcorn sales to over $100.00 a week
for a four week contest – the top prize was worth going after -- $500.00 to be split among all the
employees of the winning store! You do not mind giving them that kind of bounty when the
total sales increase amounted to several thousand dollars during the contest – even after paying
the prize, the net return was still several thousand dollars additional profit! Try it – you will like
it.
POPCORN POSTERS: All popcorn supply distributors should have a liberal supply of popcorn
posters – the people who sell you popcorn should be willing to furnish popcorn posters free of
charge. Be sure to use them – staple them together as “mobiles” – put them on the door – on the
back bar – but do not cover up the popcorn in the machine with a poster.
MENU BOARD PRESENTATION: There are many different types of “popcorn transparencies”
available for menu boards – many show tie-ins with other snacks – the high quality transparency
on a menu board certainly helps sell more popcorn, Coke, hot dogs or any other item.
SUMMARY: Promotions work – so, plan and schedule and execute your popcorn promotions.
Make sure Stand Managers or Store Managers are well informed about the profit in Popcorn and
other Fun Foods. Share the popcorn profit operating results with them – help them set higher
goals – give them freedom to implement the programs that will help them achieve these goals!
By actual count, there are not exactly 101 ideas in this book to help promote Popcorn and other
Fun Foods. But there are some good thought starters here which will enable you to trigger your
own imagination and develop promotion and merchandising techniques that will work
dramatically well.
Actually, you hardly need 100 ideas – one really good one might help you make literally
thousands of dollars more Popcorn profit or Cotton Candy profit or Funnel Cake profit every
year. The “cost” of implementing an idea is usually quite small – usually it takes little more than
time, training, and management attention. The rewards are great. But the cost of not
implementing promotions is very, very expensive. If you buy these ideas, or at least a few of
them, and keep trying more and more of them – fine-tuning them for your own operation, you
definitely will find out just how good popcorn profits and other Fun Food profits can be for your
organization.
8