Jolly Time
Jolly Time is a fifth-generation, family-owned popcorn manufacturer founded in 1914 in Sioux City, Iowa, producing microwave popcorn, unpopped kernels, and bulk concession supplies for consumer and commercial customers across all 50 US states and 23 international countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1914
- HeadquartersSioux City, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Jolly Time does
Jolly Time is the consumer brand of American Pop Corn Company, a privately held, family-owned popcorn manufacturer founded in 1914 by Cloid H. Smith in Sioux City, Iowa, and currently in its fifth generation of Smith family ownership under Chairman Carlton P. Smith. The company manufactures and distributes microwave popcorn, unpopped kernels (yellow, white, organic, and Select gourmet varieties), bulk and concession supplies (kernels, oils, salts, bags, and JOLLY TIME Paragon commercial poppers), and a small line of branded novelty accessories. Core product technology centers on proprietary formulations including a trans-fat-free Smart Balance oil blend, the Weight Watchers-endorsed Healthy Pop line (94% fat free, 100-calorie mini bags equal to 3 Weight Watchers points), and Insta-Bowl popping bag technology used in KettleMania products. The company sources popcorn under long-term contracts from multi-generational Midwest farm families across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, with some grower relationships dating back to 1914.
Jolly Time operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce through jollytime.com, third-party marketplace sales on Amazon and Walmart+, traditional retail distribution through grocery chains such as Hy-Vee, Jewel, and Fareway, and dedicated international distribution across 23 countries anchored by a New York export sales office. A separate Bulk & Concessions wholesale channel serves commercial popcorn machine operators including theaters, stadiums, amusement parks, and event venues. Customer segments include family consumer snackers (primary), health-conscious consumers (primary, served via Healthy Pop), traditional kernel buyers, and bulk/concession operators. Pricing is unit-based across retail tiers with multi-year contract structures for bulk commercial accounts, and the company does not publicly disclose pricing on its own website. The company actively markets through a "The Official Snack of Happiness" brand positioning, a 217+ recipe content library, email newsletters, social media, and historical TV commercial campaigns dating from 1970 to 2019.
The company continues to release new SKUs (Jalapeño Butter in October 2024, Healthy Pop Kettle Corn Minis in January 2025, a microwave popcorn variety pack in August 2024) and refreshed packaging on its core Butter line in May 2024, indicating active product investment. Headcount is reported in the 101–250 range. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and there are no identified funding rounds, acquisitions, mergers, parent companies, or subsidiaries — the entity operates as an independent, family-controlled CPG manufacturer with no disclosed institutional or private equity ownership.
Jolly Time firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jolly Time
- Legal name
- American Pop Corn Company
- Website
- https://jollytime.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1914
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Jolly Time is a fifth-generation, family-owned popcorn manufacturer founded in 1914 in Sioux City, Iowa, producing microwave popcorn, unpopped kernels, and bulk concession supplies for consumer and commercial customers across all 50 US states and 23 international countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jolly Time industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Popcorn and Snack Foods
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Popcorn & Puffed Snacks (CRADABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Popcorn Manufacturing (AFAKAIAC)
Keywords
Where Jolly Time is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sioux City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Jolly Time business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Consumer Sales: JOLLY TIME sells popcorn products directly to consumers through their official website jollytime.com, offering shipping directly to homes. Products include microwave popcorn, kernels, and novelty items.
- Retail/Wholesale Distribution: Products sold through major retail chains including Amazon, Walmart, Hy-Vee, Jewel, and Fareway. Revenue generated from wholesale orders to physical retail stores.
- Bulk & Concessions: Wholesale popcorn products and equipment for commercial popcorn machines in theaters, venues, and concession stands. Includes kernels, oils, salts, bags, cartons, and commercial poppers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Microwave Popcorn Single Serve - Individual bags and multi-packs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Healthy Pop Weight Watchers - 100 calorie mini bags |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Unpopped Kernels - Poly bags, jars, and organic varieties |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Bulk/Commercial - Wholesale popcorn products and equipment |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Jolly Time product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jolly Time (American Pop Corn Company) manufactures and sells popcorn products including microwave popcorn varieties (Blast O Butter, Simply Popped, Xtra Butter, Butter, Healthy Pop, Kettle Corn, The Big Cheez), unpopped kernels (Yellow, White, Organic, Select), and a Bulk & Concessions line (kernels, oils, salts, bags, cartons, commercial poppers) for theaters and venues. The company also sells branded novelty accessories such as coolers, growlers, candles, apparel, and popcorn-making tools through its e-commerce site.
Product overview
JOLLY TIME is a family-owned popcorn company (American Pop Corn Company, established 1914) offering a diversified portfolio of popcorn products centered around its core microwave popcorn lines (Blast O Butter, Simply Popped, Xtra Butter, Butter, Crispy 'n White) and Healthy Pop reduced-fat line, supplemented by Sweet & Savory flavors (Kettle Corn, The Big Cheez, White Cheddar, Jalapeno Butter), unpopped kernels (Yellow, White, Organic, Select varieties), and commercial Bulk & Concessions supplies. The company also sells novelty accessories (thermoses, growlers, coolers, apparel) through its e-commerce platform. Products are sold directly through its official website and via authorized retail partners including Amazon and Walmart.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Blast O Butter Microwave Popcorn Flagship microwave popcorn with movie theater style extra buttery flavor; aimed at home snackers and movie night consumers.
- Simply Popped Butter Microwave Popcorn Microwave popcorn with a four-ingredient recipe (popcorn, butter, sea salt, oil) targeted at clean-label consumers.
- Simply Popped Sea Salt Microwave Popcorn Three-ingredient microwave popcorn (popcorn, sea salt, palm oil) for clean-label consumers.
- Xtra Butter Microwave Popcorn Extra buttery microwave popcorn made with the trans-fat free Smart Balance oil blend for butter lovers.
- Butter Microwave Popcorn Classic buttery microwave popcorn flavored with real butter; 100% whole grain with 0g trans fat.
- Crispy 'n White Microwave Popcorn Natural whole grain microwave popcorn with delicate natural flavor using tender white popcorn kernels.
- Healthy Pop Butter Microwave Popcorn 94% fat free microwave popcorn endorsed by Weight Watchers; 2 grams of fat per serving and high in fiber for health-conscious consumers.
- Healthy Pop Butter 100 Calorie Mini Bags 100 calorie mini bags of low-fat butter and sea salt popcorn equal to 3 Weight Watchers points; portion-controlled for weight management.
- Healthy Pop Kettle Corn Minis 100 calorie mini bags of sweet and salty kettle corn equal to 3 Weight Watchers points; portion-controlled healthy snacking.
- Healthy Pop Crispy 'n White Microwave Popcorn 94% fat free natural flavor popcorn; 3 Weight Watchers points per serving for health-conscious consumers.
- Kettle Corn Microwave Popcorn Sweet and salty gourmet kettle corn microwave popcorn in county fair style.
- The Big Cheez Microwave Popcorn Gourmet cheddar cheese flavored microwave popcorn with gluten-free, non-GMO kernels.
- White Cheddar Microwave Popcorn White cheddar cheese flavored microwave popcorn variety in the Sweet & Savory line.
- Jalapeño Butter Microwave Popcorn Spicy jalapeño and butter flavored microwave popcorn in the Sweet & Savory line.
- Yellow Popcorn Kernels Whole grain, non-GMO and gluten-free popping corn kernels for air poppers, stovetop, or campfire popping.
- White Popcorn Kernels Tender white natural flavor butterfly kernels for stovetop or air popper preparation.
- Organic Yellow Popcorn Kernels
Quantifiable outcome
- Available in all 50 US states and 23 different countries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Jolly Time
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Jolly Time technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Jolly Time partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Multi-generational Midwest Farm FamiliescoreJOLLY TIME partners with multiple multi-generational farm families across the Midwest (Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota) who grow popcorn under long-term contracts. Growers include: Dru Kenny (Schaller, IA), Hogue Family (Odebolt, IA since 1914), Kent & Isaac Bowers (West Bend, SD since 1981), Dave Hansen Family (Crescent, IA since 1982), Pat Green Family (Homer, NE since 1930s), Anderson Family (Elgin, NE since 1975), Jason Dahl (Sloan, IA), Eric & Gene Chohon (O'Neill, NE), and Dan Drenkhahn (Mapleton, IA). These relationships span multiple generations of both the Smith family and grower families.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Jolly Time competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Quinn Snacks: Clean-label microwave popcorn and pretzel snacks brand. Directly comparable to Jolly Time's Simply Popped clean-ingredient line in the better-for-you microwave segment, with overlapping retailer placement.
- Pipcorn: Premium heirloom popcorn snack brand sold in natural and specialty channels. Comparable to Jolly Time's Select gourmet kernels and Organic Yellow lines in targeting premium snacking consumers seeking non-GMO, traceable ingredients.
- Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP: Premium popcorn brand (acquired by Conagra in 2017) competing in kettle corn and better-for-you popcorn segments. Comparable to Jolly Time's Kettle Corn and Healthy Pop lines, with stronger millennial and natural channel positioning.
- SkinnyPop: Acquired by Amplify Snack Brands and now owned by Hershey, SkinnyPop leads the better-for-you/pre-popped popcorn segment. Highly comparable to Jolly Time's Healthy Pop line in addressing health-conscious consumers but with stronger natural foods channel presence.
Direct peers
- Smartfood: PepsiCo-owned microwave popcorn brand competing head-to-head in the same retail channels. Highly comparable in product format (single-serve microwave bags), target consumer (family snackers), and distribution model.
- Popcorn Indiana: Pre-popped popcorn and kettle corn brand competing in the ready-to-eat popcorn segment. Comparable to Jolly Time's Kettle Corn and pre-popped snack categories, with overlap in kettle corn flavor profiles.
- Pop Secret: Direct competitor in the microwave popcorn category with similar flavor variety and retail distribution. Owned by Campbell Soup Company (now Sovos Brands/RB Food Group), positioning it as a like-for-like competitor in the same shelf space.
- Weaver Popcorn: Indiana-based family popcorn company (founded 1928) supplying bulk kernels, microwave, and concession popcorn. Direct comparable as another multi-generational family popcorn business serving both retail and B2B concession channels.
Others
- Newman's Own: Family-founded CPG company (not family-owned now) known for premium, mission-driven snacks. Comparable as another heritage consumer brand with strong storytelling, though broader food portfolio beyond popcorn.
Broad incumbents
- Conagra Brands: Owner of Orville Redenbacher, Act II, and Jiffy Pop, Conagra is the dominant US microwave popcorn incumbent. Directly comparable to Jolly Time in core microwave popcorn and kernels but operates at vastly greater scale across a broad CPG portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Jolly Time social profiles
Digital presenceJolly Time financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jolly Time leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Jolly Time funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jolly Time M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Jolly Time
What does Jolly Time do?
Jolly Time (American Pop Corn Company) manufactures and sells popcorn products including microwave popcorn varieties (Blast O Butter, Simply Popped, Xtra Butter, Butter, Healthy Pop, Kettle Corn, The Big Cheez), unpopped kernels (Yellow, White, Organic, Select), and a Bulk & Concessions line (kernels, oils, salts, bags, cartons, commercial poppers) for theaters and venues. The company also sells branded novelty accessories such as coolers, growlers, candles, apparel, and popcorn-making tools through its e-commerce site.
Is Jolly Time a public or private company?
Jolly Time is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Jolly Time founded?
Jolly Time was founded in 1914. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Jolly Time based?
Jolly Time is headquartered in Sioux City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Jolly Time make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Consumer Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail/Wholesale Distribution and bulk & Concessions.
Who are Jolly Time's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Quinn Snacks, Pipcorn, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP and SkinnyPop. Direct peers are Smartfood, Popcorn Indiana, Pop Secret and Weaver Popcorn. Newman's Own is listed as an others. Conagra Brands is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Jolly Time have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jolly Time.
What industry is Jolly Time in?
Jolly Time's product category is Popcorn and Snack Foods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAH, Popcorn & Puffed Snacks, with a secondary code of AFAKAIAC, Popcorn Manufacturing. Its SIC code is 2000.