Indiana Popcorn Pops to the Top as Official State Snack
In partnership with: Indiana State Department of Agriculture
In 2021, Indiana lawmakers approved a bill designating popcorn as the official state snack. But not just any popcorn, Indiana-grown popcorn specifically. And it’s no wonder, as Indiana is the No. 1 popcorn producing state, with more than 91,000 popcorn acres planted in 2023.
See more: Indiana Port Offers Hands-On Agriculture Education for FFA Members
Black Jewell Popcorn
“I eat an embarrassing amount of popcorn,” laughs Annie Johnson, vice president of sales and marketing for Columbus-based Black Jewell Popcorn. “You’d think I’d be tired of it by now, but I’m not.”
Johnson runs Black Jewell with her father, who acquired the company in 2013. They specialize in black heirloom popcorn, which Johnson says is grown for optimal flavor and texture. This results in a product she describes as having a richer, fuller popcorn flavor and a fresh, crisp crunch, so it doesn’t get stuck in your teeth.
Black Jewell focuses on keeping it local by sourcing their kernels from a handful of family farmers
in the state.
“I think it’s important to know where you’re getting your food,” Johnson says. “It’s important to support other families like your own, and you can measure a level of quality that way. It’s a really traceable process, and we know where that corn has been in every part of its journey.”
Black Jewell also prides itself on being a healthy option for popcorn munchers. For instance, the company’s five flavors come in unbleached, chemical-free bags. Their No Salt, No Oil variety was the first popcorn to be certified as heart healthy by the American Heart Association.
“We’re very proud of that,” Johnson says.
The company also prioritizes environmental stewardship.
“We are always looking at better ways to farm sustainably and responsibly,” Johnson says.
Some ways Black Jewell accomplishes this include supporting no-till farming as well as integrating grass waterways and pollinator-friendly plants into the landscape.
Black Jewell sells its products on Amazon and in various local retailers.
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Groomsville Popcorn
Tipton County-based Groomsville Popcorn, founded by Jacob and Amanda Baird in 2015, is rooted in a multigenerational relationship with kernel growing. Jacob’s family once grew popcorn for Orville Redenbacher but eventually transitioned into sweet corn until the couple brought it back full circle to popcorn.
The Bairds, supported by family and staff, work a small parcel of land to grow their popcorn. After the harvest, they dry the kernels if needed – 13.5% is the optimum moisture level – and then they use gravity grain cleaners to sort out any weed seeds or bad kernels.
Next, they pop and package the popcorn themselves. Any kernels that aren’t going to be processed right away go in large grain-safe containers for storage.
While they are a commercial popcorn producer, they focus on quality over quantity.
“We’re still small batched, and we want to be small batched,” Amanda Baird says. “We do feel like there’s such difference in quality when you’re able to operate on a small scale.”
Groomsville primarily sells its products, which include kettle corn, original sea salt, white cheddar and spicy Buffalo, among other varieties,
at local farmers markets. Amanda says she enjoys interacting with the public at these events.
“It’s really heartening to be able to build that relationship,” says Baird, noting during her pregnancy with her first son, some
of her customers brought gifts for the baby.
Plus, central Indiana’s farmers markets, which she calls some of the best in the state, help the business stay rooted in the community, plus allow them to sell directly to customers.
“Being local is really important to us,” Baird says. “I hope more people realize that farmers markets don’t necessarily mean more expensive prices.”
See more: Indiana Port Offers Hands-On Agriculture Education for FFA Members