The demand for pre-popped popcorn is on the rise in the US. Experts say it’s one of the fastest growing markets in the snack food industry. With that being said, many people have come to us wondering about the best way to package their popcorn. We understand that the market is becoming very crowded so it is vital that your popcorn packaging stands out. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best (and worst) ways to package pre popped popcorn.
First, let’s review the most popular types of packaging for pre popped popcorn:
The plastic see through bag with a twist tie
While this is definitely the cheapest type of popcorn packaging, this is also the worst. If you’re looking to serve your customers with stale, rotten popcorn then look no further, this cheap packaging is for you. However, if you’re looking to actually make a profit and keep customers, let’s explore some other types of packaging.
Next up is the ever-famous popcorn tin. The popcorn tin is definitely a step up from the plastic bags, but there are still 
some major flaws to this type of packaging. First, they’re extremely expensive. The tins alone cost a pretty penny and then you have to think about the extra inner layer that most people opt in for thinking that it will help keep their popcorn fresh. Second, tins are not airtight containers. Many people are fooled into thinking tins have a tight seal when in reality, moisture and odor can still reach the popcorn even when the lid is closed. Lastly, tins are very bulky. While they may be great for people to store things in after they devour the popcorn, retailers highly frown upon this type of packaging. For the supplier it is expensive and difficult to ship due to the size of the containers. For the retailer it is expensive and difficult to shelf for the exact same reason; too bulky!
Third up, vertical form fill seal bags:
These bags are made from rollstock and then sealed together by a FFS (form fill seal) machine with the end result being your typical chip bag. If this is the option that you’d like to take, we are more than happy to help you! These bags tend to be a crowd favorite because people are familiar with them. However, again, these bags have some issues. First let’s state the obvious; they don’t stand up. When your popcorn is unable to stand up on the store shelves it doesn’t get seen and you’re not going to make a sale. The next major problem is that once you open these bags there’s no way of creating another airtight seal. This means that the product will go stale fast so the buyer better be ready to consume the entire product right then. While standuppouches.net is capable of creating these types of bags, we do encourage you to explore other options to ensure you get the most out of your money.
Lastly, the stand up pouch:
In my humble opinion, stand up pouches are the best type of popcorn packaging. Out of all of the options that I have discussed, stand up pouches are the only type of popcorn packaging that will form a tight seal after the product has initially been opened. Sure most of the others will initially have an air tight seal, but after the product has been opened once it is impossible to close the product back up without additional resources. The next best thing about these bags for your popcorn is that they stand up! It doesn’t matter how little your popcorn weighs, stand up pouches are made to stand and that is exactly what they’ll do on the store shelf. This will attract consumers and increase your chances of making that sale. Next is the ability to showcase your brand and really tell your story. With the wide front, back and bottom, you have a lot of real estate to tell the consumers what your brand is about. We are capable of having up to 12 printing cylinders (12 colors) for your project. Whatever your branded colors are we are confident that we can match that 100%. If you’d like to learn more about artwork, check out our guidelines here. Now, most importantly, stand up pouches are the best way to protect and preserve your popcorn. These bags are made from multiple layers of laminated barrier film. This barrier film is able to protect your popcorn from moisture, vapor, odor and even UV rays.
At the end of the day, the most important part of any business is to make a profit. And now that the popcorn market is becoming more and more crowded, it is becoming increasingly more important to know how to differentiate your company from your competitors. Packaging is one of the easiest things to change and using stand up pouches as your popcorn packaging will bring you ahead of the game in the popcorn industry. If you have a different opinion, please share with me! As this industry grows it will be interesting to see who rises above and who falls behind. I’ll bet the packaging will play a part!
