Popcorn to Potato Chips: Snack Companies of Metro D

By: Amber Ogden | May 19, 2015
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I’m a fan of popcorn in any form. You’d think that after working at a movie theater for years, I’d be burned out on the stuff, but nope. Whether it’s a bag from the microwave or a freshly buttered tub at the movies, I can’t get enough of the stuff.

I think it’s safe to say that many Metro Detroiters also enjoy a handful of popcorn every once in a while, because there are several gourmet popcorn companies that call southeast Michigan home. Not just popcorn, either—potato chips, pistachios, you name it. If you need a (questionably healthy) snack, look no further than one of the following local companies:

Detroit Popcorn Company, 14950 Telegraph Rd., Redford Twp., has been preparing delicious snack foods for the last 92 years. All products are made fresh daily, including buttery popcorn, cheddar cheese popcorn and caramel corn (soaked in 100 percent real caramel). Try the VIP Caramel Corn, which has almonds and pecans added to the mix.

Jarrett’s Gourmet Popcorns include triple mix popcorn (great for the indecisive folks, since it includes butter, cheese and caramel in one), and Chicago style popcorn (a cheese and caramel combo).

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The Detroit popcorn company also offers plenty of gift items for the popcorn lover in your life, including sports team tins, historical tins and more. Best of all, you can order your popcorn online!

Good People Popcorn, 633 Beaubien St., Detroit, is a family run business, and the popcorn here is made fresh daily with real butter and Michigan sugar. Not only is the popcorn excellent, but the business is an environmentally sustainable one: popcorn bags are recyclable, and leftover popcorn is composted instead of wasted.

The flavors here are anything but ordinary. Try Bricktown Barbecue, Brown Sugar Baby, Caramel Apple Pie, Chili Cheese, Garlic Herb and Cheese, Sea Salt or White Cheddar Salsa.

You can enjoy one of the aforementioned bags of popcorn at the storefront Downtown, or pick up a bag at establishments including Village Food Market, 18330 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms, Holiday Market, 1203 S. Main St., Royal Oak, or Kim’s Produce, 4206 Woodward Ave., Detroit.

There are daily specials at Good People Popcorn, including half off butter popcorn on Tuesdays and $5 large trios (caramel, cheese and butter) on Wednesdays.

B’Drizzled Gourmet Popcorn, with headquarters at 37448 Hills Tech Dr., Farmington Hills, is the tasty brainchild of two local entrepreneurial women. The chocolate covered popcorn is more of a dessert than snack item, but worth every calorie that comes with each delicious morsel.

Varieties include Toasted Coconut Delight (drizzled with milk chocolate, topped with white chocolate confections and toasted coconut), Double Chocolate Supreme (coated with both milk and white chocolate), Chocolate Cherry Cordial (dark and white chocolate with cherry) or White Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream.

Popcorn can be purchased locally at Joe’s Produce, 33152 W. 7 Mile Rd., Livonia, Holiday Market of Canton and Royal Oak, Papa Joe’s Gourmet Markets of Birmingham and Rochester Hills, and several other retailers. You can also ship B’Drizzled Gourmet Popcorn for a tasty gift for yourself or a friend!

Better Made Snack Foods, 10148 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, and what better way to ring in such an occasion than with snacks? Better Made is one of the state’s most popular “Made in Michigan” brands, and the company goes through 60 million pounds of chip potatoes each year!

In case you’ve been living under a rock or are new to the state, chips are available in flavors like Barbecue, Salt and Vinegar, Sour Cream and Onion and Jalapeno Kettle Chips. And if you’re a true popcorn fanatic, order this package online, which includes Caramel popcorn, White Cheddar Cheese popcorn and more.

Pretzels, tortilla chips and red licorice are other Better Made favorites.

While you can find plenty of Better Made products in local stores, the “Chip Store” online also allows fans to order favorites with a simple click.

Germack Pistachio Company, 2517 Russell St., Detroit, was established in 1924 and is the oldest roaster of pistachio nuts in the United States. Nuts, seeds and coffees are all roasted in house, and the company’s line of chocolates, candies and dried fruits are not to be missed, either.

Nuts roasted in-house include cashews from India, Vietnam and Brazil, as well as pistachios from California and Turkey. All are roasted in small batches using canola oil. Of the seeds roasted in house, there are several Fit-Mix varieties, including Power (roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, raw pecans, roasted cashews, roasted almonds, apples, blueberries and mango) and Cardio (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, blueberries, cherries and strawberries).

Saltwater taffy, chocolate covered coffee beans and yogurt covered treats are also stocked on the shelves at Germack Pistachio Company. To find a store in your area that carries a variety of Germack snacks, use this handy search tool.

Whether you’re craving popcorn, potato chips or something sweet, there are several snack companies in Metro Detroit to choose from. Happy snacking!

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