Popz
Popz is a privately held microwave popcorn manufacturer founded by Jim Watkins in 1999. The company produces popcorn in eight-plus flavours and distributes through retail grocery chains and cinema partnerships across 38+ countries, with primary production at its Debrecen, Hungary facility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersBennettsville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Popz does
Popz is a privately held, founder-controlled popcorn manufacturer specialising in microwave popcorn. The company was established in 1999 by Jim Watkins, who had previously founded Golden Valley Foods — the company that pioneered microwave popcorn in the late 1970s and grew into the world's largest microwave popcorn manufacturer before its 1991 sale to ConAgra. Popz operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries (Popz USA LLC, Popz Europe Kft., Popz Danmark ApS, Popz Sverige AB) and joint ventures (Food Products International in Italy, Pegasus China, Popz Poland, Sterkinekor Popz in South Africa, Popz Agro in Hungary) covering 38+ countries across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The company's core products include eight microwave popcorn SKUs (Salt, Butter, Sweet, Sweet & Salty, Paprika, Wasabi, Light, and the flagship Popz Movie Pack) plus ready-to-eat popcorn formats, all manufactured from non-GMO corn and packaged in PFAS-free paper bags. Production is anchored at the Debrecen, Hungary facility — described by the company as Europe's largest and most modern microwave popcorn plant — using roll stock bag-forming technology pioneered by Inline Packaging in Minnesota. The Hungarian facility holds BRC Grade AA, ISO 22000, ISO 14000, and HACCP certifications, supporting retailer onboarding and food-safety positioning.
Popz generates revenue by selling branded popcorn through retail grocery chains (Tesco, Metro, Kaufland, Billa, Fantastico, and multiple Latvian retailers) and cinema partnerships (notably Sterkinekor in South Africa). The business model is classic CPG wholesale: Popz manufactures and ships to retailers and JV partners who set final shelf prices; end consumers purchase for at-home and cinema-style snacking. No direct-to-consumer e-commerce, subscription, or pricing transparency is disclosed. Marketing is conducted primarily through country-specific Facebook and Instagram pages plus the 'Chronicles of Popz' content blog.
Popz firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Popz
- Legal name
- PopZ Europe Kft.
- Website
- https://popz.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Popz is a privately held microwave popcorn manufacturer founded by Jim Watkins in 1999. The company produces popcorn in eight-plus flavours and distributes through retail grocery chains and cinema partnerships across 38+ countries, with primary production at its Debrecen, Hungary facility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Popz industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microwave Popcorn / Snack Foods
- NAICS
- Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114)
- SIC
- Grain Mill Products (2040)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Popcorn & Puffed Snacks (CRADABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Popcorn Manufacturing (AFAKAIAC)
Keywords
Where Popz is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bennettsville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Popz business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Microwave Popcorn Sales: Popz generates revenue from manufacturing and selling microwave popcorn and ready-to-eat popcorn products through retail grocery chains and cinema distribution partnerships globally.
- Ready-to-Eat Popcorn Sales: Ready-to-eat popcorn sold through retail and cinema channels, produced in partnership with Food Products International (Italy) and local joint ventures.
- Bulk/Kernel Sales: Unpopped kernels for home popping sold in retail packs.
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Popz product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Popz manufactures and sells microwave popcorn and ready-to-eat popcorn products under the Popz brand. The company produces a range of flavors (Salt, Butter, Sweet, Sweet & Salty, Paprika, Wasabi, and Light) made from non-GMO corn with no artificial ingredients or trans fats, packaged in PFAS-free paper bags. Products are sold through retail grocery chains, cinema concessions, and international distributors across 38+ countries.
Product overview
Popz is a popcorn company offering two main product categories: microwave popcorn (in various flavors including Salt, Butter, Sweet, Sweet & Salty, Paprika, Wasabi, and Light/reduced-fat) and ready-to-eat popcorn. All products are made from non-GMO corn, contain no artificial ingredients, and are trans-fat free. The company operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Debrecen, Hungary, producing for European markets, with additional production facilities in the USA and partnerships in China and South Africa.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Salt Microwave Popcorn Classic salted microwave popcorn sold in 3-pack format (3x90g), targeted at consumers seeking a convenient, home-theatre-quality popcorn.
- Butter Microwave Popcorn Butter-flavored microwave popcorn, one of Popz's most popular varieties, sold through retail grocery chains.
- Sweet Microwave Popcorn Sweet-flavored microwave popcorn for consumers preferring a sweeter taste, sold in 3-pack format.
- Sweet & Salty Microwave Popcorn Combination sweet and salty flavor microwave popcorn, sold in 3-pack format (3x85g).
- Paprika Microwave Popcorn Microwave popcorn with paprika seasoning, providing a spicy flavor profile, sold in 3-pack format.
- Wasabi Microwave Popcorn
Companies that use Popz
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Popz technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Popz partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- Popz Agro Kft. (Hungary)coreIn 2011, Popz Agro Kft. in Hungary was established as a joint venture for bulk popcorn growing and processing company in the key southern corn growing area. The company tests different hybrid corn varieties (all from the US) annually to find the best for each region.
- Sterkinekor (South Africa)coreIn 2010, Sterkinekor Popz was established as a joint venture with the leading cinema group in South Africa, Sterkinekor, to market Popz popcorn in the retail business as well as in cinemas.
- Popz Sverige AB (formerly Blomberg Sweden)regionalIn 2009, Blomberg in Sweden changed its company name to Popz Sverige AB as part of the group's brand consolidation.
- Popz Poland Sp. z o.o.regionalIn 2005, Popz Poland was established as a joint venture to work as a sales and distribution company on the Polish market.
- Pegasus China LLCcoreIn 2002, Pegasus China LLC, Popz's Chinese 50:50 joint venture, was established with a production facility in Shenzhen. Popz is the number 1 imported brand of microwave popcorn in China. Eight regional sales offices cover major markets.
- Blomberg (Denmark) — now United Popcorn Company / Popz Danmark ApScoreIn 2001, Popz entered into a production joint venture (United Popcorn Company) with Danish company Blomberg, owned by Torben Bødtker. Blomberg was founded in 1902, has been producing Ready-To-Eat popcorn since the 1950s, and was the first European company to install a microwave popcorn line in 1991. Blomberg in Denmark changed its name to Popz Danmark ApS in 2008.
- Food Products International (FPI)coreIn 2000, Popz entered into a joint venture with Food Products International, the leading manufacturer of Ready-To-Eat popcorn in Italy. FPI produces RTE popcorn in their plant in Gorizia, and from the sales office and distribution centre in Milan, they market Popz RTE and microwave popcorn as the leading popcorn brand on the Italian market.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Popz competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Jolly Time Pop Corn: American Popcorn Company, maker of Jolly Time, is a US-based microwave popcorn and kernel manufacturer — a direct competitor in the same product category with overlapping retail-grocery distribution and a multi-decade brand heritage similar to Popz.
- Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP: Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP is a rapidly growing popcorn brand (now owned by ConAgra) competing in the ready-to-eat and microwave popcorn category with a clean-label, non-GMO positioning that directly mirrors Popz's brand story.
- SkinnyPop: SkinnyPop is a leading better-for-you popcorn brand (owned by Amplify Snack Brands / Hershey) competing in both microwave and ready-to-eat popcorn segments. It targets a similar at-home-snacker demographic with an emphasis on clean ingredients like Popz's non-GMO positioning.
Emerging players
- Lesser Evil: Lesser Evil is a smaller, fast-growing clean-label popcorn and snack brand competing in the premium and better-for-you segment of the microwave and RTE popcorn category, with overlapping retail-grocery distribution and similar ingredient-quality positioning.
- Newman's Own: Newman's Own markets a range of premium snacks including microwave popcorn under its own brand, with similar clean-ingredient and brand-story positioning. It is a relevant emerging competitor in the premium popcorn retail category.
- Pipcorn: Pipcorn is a smaller US popcorn and snack brand focused on heirloom corn and clean ingredients. It competes in the same at-home snacking category with non-GMO, minimally processed positioning that overlaps with Popz's value proposition.
Broad incumbents
- ConAgra Brands: Acquired Popz founder Jim Watkins' original company Golden Valley Foods in 1991 and now owns the dominant microwave popcorn brands in the US (Orville Redenbacher's, ACT II, Jiffy Pop, Pop-Secret). ConAgra is the largest direct competitor in the microwave popcorn category globally.
- Smartfood: Smartfood, owned by PepsiCo's Frito-Lay, is one of the largest ready-to-eat popcorn brands in the US and a direct competitor to Popz's RTE popcorn line, with comparable retail-grocery distribution and similar at-home snacking positioning.
- Pop Secret: Pop Secret is a leading US microwave popcorn brand now owned by Kellanova (formerly Kellogg's). It is a direct competitor to Popz in the microwave popcorn category with a comparable at-home snacking positioning.
Regional players
- Propercorn: Propercorn is a UK-based premium popcorn brand competing in the European market with a clean-label, gourmet positioning that overlaps with Popz's European retail and better-for-you story.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Popz social profiles
Digital presencePopz compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Popz financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Popz leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Popz subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Popz funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Popz 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 Popz
What does Popz do?
Popz manufactures and sells microwave popcorn and ready-to-eat popcorn products under the Popz brand. The company produces a range of flavors (Salt, Butter, Sweet, Sweet & Salty, Paprika, Wasabi, and Light) made from non-GMO corn with no artificial ingredients or trans fats, packaged in PFAS-free paper bags. Products are sold through retail grocery chains, cinema concessions, and international distributors across 38+ countries.
Is Popz a public or private company?
Popz is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Popz founded?
Popz was founded in 1971. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Popz based?
Popz is headquartered in Bennettsville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Popz make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Microwave Popcorn Sales are the primary driver. The others are ready-to-Eat Popcorn Sales and bulk/Kernel Sales.
Who are Popz's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Jolly Time Pop Corn, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP and SkinnyPop. Emerging players are Lesser Evil, Newman's Own and Pipcorn. Broad incumbents are ConAgra Brands, Smartfood and Pop Secret. Propercorn is listed as a regional player.
Does Popz have an API?
No public API is recorded for Popz.
What industry is Popz in?
Popz's product category is Microwave Popcorn / Snack Foods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAH, Popcorn & Puffed Snacks, with a secondary code of AFAKAIAC, Popcorn Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3114 and its SIC code is 2040.