Popped

What Popped does

Popped is a family-owned artisan popcorn and confectionery business founded in 2011 by Gwen Rosenberg, who formally opened the first storefront in January 2012 in downtown Kent, Ohio. The company produces seven handmade popcorn varieties — Caramel Popcorn, Caramel with Peanuts, FireHouse Caramel Popcorn, Buttered Popcorn, Kettlecorn, White Cheddar, and Baja Ohio Popcorn — along with customizable red gift tins (1, 2, and 3.5 gallon sizes priced at $24, $40, and $60 respectively) intended for personal consumption and gifting. Production is based on from-scratch recipes developed over 14 years of home experimentation, scaled from saucepan batches to a 10-gallon commercial mixer, using Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn, fresh butter from Hartzler Family Dairy (Wooster, Ohio), locally roasted nuts, and on-site honey.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market: a brick-and-mortar retail store paired with a Shopify-powered e-commerce site (shoppopped.com) that handles national shipping. Limited operating hours (Tue-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-3pm) and a single storefront footprint reflect its artisanal, lifestyle-scale economics. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time product sales, with no subscription, wholesale, or B2B channels disclosed. The customer base is overwhelmingly individual consumers and gift buyers in NE Ohio, supplemented by online gift orders shipped across the country; no institutional, enterprise, or wholesale customers are mentioned.

The company is in the middle of a strategic transition. In November 2025 it announced a rebrand to Rosenberg's Candies to reflect an expanded menu of handmade chocolates and confections beyond popcorn, accompanied by a relocation/consolidation from Kent, Ohio to a single new storefront at 232 W. Main Street in Ravenna, Ohio, effective January 2026. Capitalization has remained personal throughout — a 2011 Kickstarter campaign that exceeded its $2,500 goal, a grandfather's Disney-stock inheritance, family savings, and personal credit card debt — with no institutional, PE, or VC investment disclosed. There is no technology platform, no AI/ML capability, and no headcount beyond the founder family, classifying the business as a craft retail operation rather than a venture-scalable entity.

Name

Popped

Legal name

Gwen Rosenberg Enterprises, LLC

Website

https://shoppopped.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Popped is a family-owned Ohio artisan popcorn and confectionery shop producing seven handmade popcorn varieties and customizable gift tins from locally sourced ingredients, sold through a single storefront in Kent/Ravenna, Ohio and a Shopify e-commerce site, currently rebranding to Rosenberg's Candies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gourmet Popcorn & Confectionery

NAICS

Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113), Confectionery and Nut Retailers (445292)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Popcorn Manufacturing (AFAKAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Popcorn & Puffed Snacks (CRADABAH), Gourmet Popcorn & Caramel Corn Shops (THAFAGAM)

Keywords

• Gourmet popcorn products
• Handmade confectionery
• Customizable gift tins
• Local artisan snacks
• Specialty candy retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Ravenna

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail popcorn and confectionery sales: One-time product sales of handmade popcorn varieties sold in various sizes (medium bags, large bags, and gift tins in 1, 2, and 3.5 gallon sizes). Revenue generated through in-store purchases and online e-commerce orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Popped produces handmade gourmet popcorn in seven flavor varieties using Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn, locally sourced butter from Hartzler Family Dairy, and locally roasted nuts. The company also sells customizable gift tins in 1, 2, and 3.5 gallon sizes filled with single or mixed popcorn varieties, and is expanding its offerings to include handmade chocolates and confections under the transitioning Rosenberg's Candies brand. Products are sold direct to consumers via a brick-and-mortar storefront in Ravenna, OH and a Shopify-powered e-commerce site shipping nationally.

Product overview

Popped is a family-owned gourmet popcorn and candy retail business (currently transitioning to the name Rosenberg's Candies) based in Ravenna, Ohio. The company offers a portfolio of handmade popcorn products including seven distinct flavors: Caramel Popcorn, Caramel with Peanuts, FireHouse Caramel Popcorn, Buttered Popcorn, Kettlecorn, White Cheddar, and Baja Ohio Popcorn. Products are made with Ohio Grown non-GMO popcorn, local butter from Hartzler Family Dairy, locally roasted nuts, and honey from their own backyard. The company also offers customizable gift tin packaging in 1 gallon ($24), 2 gallon ($40), and 3.5 gallon ($60) sizes that can be filled with single or mixed popcorn varieties. Founded in 2011 and operated by Gwen and Aaron Rosenberg, the business plans to expand its confections and chocolates offerings under the new Rosenberg's Candies brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Caramel Popcorn Signature handmade caramel popcorn made with Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn, fresh local butter from Hartzler Family Dairy, and sea salt; available in Medium and Large bags and customizable tins for individual consumers and gift buyers.
• Caramel with Peanuts Original-recipe caramel popcorn loaded with locally roasted peanuts; made with Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn and fresh local butter, sold in Medium and Large bag sizes.
• FireHouse Caramel Popcorn Original caramel popcorn recipe with a cayenne pepper kick, taste-tested by Kent firefighters; made with Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn and fresh local butter, sold in Medium and Large bag sizes.
• Buttered Popcorn Classic buttered popcorn made with real locally produced butter from Hartzler Family Dairy in Wooster, Ohio, Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn, and sea salt; sold in Medium and Large bag sizes.
• Kettlecorn Sweet and salty kettlecorn made with Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn, sugar, and sea salt; vegan-friendly and sold in Medium and Large bag sizes.
• White Cheddar Popcorn Rich and creamy white cheddar cheese popcorn made with Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn and no artificial colors or flavors; sold in Medium and Large bag sizes.
• Baja Ohio Popcorn Southwestern-flavored popcorn with chili, spice, and lime salt, made with Ohio-grown non-GMO popcorn; vegan-friendly and sold in Medium and Large bag sizes.
• 1 Gallon Gift Tin One gallon red gift tin filled with customer's choice of single or mixed popcorn varieties at a flat $24 price; designed for personal sharing and gifting.
• 2 Gallon Gift Tin Two gallon red gift tin (the most popular seller) filled with one variety or divided into two or three popcorn flavors at a flat $40 price; suited for parties and larger gifts.
• 3.5 Gallon Gift Tin Three and a half gallon red gift tin for gifting or parties, fillable with one variety or divided into two or three popcorn flavors at a flat $60 price.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hartzler Family DairycoreOthersSupplier of fresh, local butter sourced from Wooster, Ohio. Hartzler Family Dairy owns the cows, processing plant, and employs minimally processed, natural butter philosophy. Delivers directly to Kent location. Supports local community through Kent State football game sponsorship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cheryl's Cookies: Gift cookie and dessert retailer offering cookies, brownies, and dessert tins via mail order. Comparable in mail-order gift food tins and direct-to-consumer gifting.
• Sugarfina: Premium candy and confection retailer with a candy "boutique" model, gift tins, and adult-gifting positioning. Comparable in candy/gifting assortment and DTC e-commerce focus.
• Harry & David: Mail-order gourmet food and gift retailer known for gift baskets, towers, and tins of fruit, snacks, and confections. Comparable in gifting-occasion merchandising and direct-to-consumer shipping model.
• Mrs. Fields: National cookie and confection gift retailer with mall storefronts, e-commerce, and gift tin/box assortments. Comparable in gift-tin retail and DTC food gifting.
• Hickory Farms: Specialty food and gift retailer selling gift boxes, tins, and baskets of snacks, cheese, and sweets — especially for holidays. Closely comparable in seasonal gifting catalog and direct-to-consumer ordering.
• Garrett Popcorn Shops: Chicago-based gourmet popcorn and caramel corn retailer with signature gift tins and tins/canisters sold online and in flagship stores. Closest comparable in product mix, gift-tin merchandising, and direct-to-consumer gifting model.

Broad incumbents

• SkinnyPop Popcorn: Nationally distributed better-for-you popcorn brand owned by Hershey, sold through grocery and mass channels. Comparable as a popcorn brand competing for consumer popcorn dollars, though at much larger scale and broader distribution.
• See's Candies: Long-standing American chocolate and confection retailer with hundreds of U.S. shops and nationwide shipping. Comparable as a candy/confection gifting brand and illustrates a potential scale path for Rosenberg's Candies.
• Popcorn Indiana: National gourmet popcorn brand (owned by PepsiCo/Frito-Lay) sold in grocery and club stores. Comparable as a scaled gourmet popcorn competitor with broader distribution and brand awareness.

Emerging players

• Vermont Country Store: Catalog and online retailer of nostalgic, made-in-America specialty foods, snacks, and confections. Comparable in artisan/confectionery assortment and provenance-driven branding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Shoppopped
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/shoppopped
• Facebookfacebook.com/Shoppopped
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/popped-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Popped