Some people like their popcorn extra-crunchy. Others like a softer chew.
If you’re in the latter camp and like sweet popcorn, Angie’s Kettle Corn may be the treat you’re looking for. Made in Minnesota, it’s the official kettle corn of the Minnesota Lynx, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Twin and the Minnesota Vikings.
(Read the entire article on The Nibble)
Minneapolis, Minn. – Angie’s Kettle Corn today announced that its newest product offering, Caramel kettle corn, has been declared a ‘hit’ by the Supermarket Guru (Phil Lempert) on his popular “New Products Hits & Misses” segment. Angie’s Caramel scored a total of 87 points out of a possible 100.
Lempert called Angie’s a “standout exception” among the many kettle corn brands he has tried. “The popcorn is light and crispy, the caramel flavor is not overpowering, and the sweet and salty tastes are well balanced,” he said.
“New Products Hits & Misses” is a popular, weekly video review of new food products that taste-tests and judges based on a specific set of criteria. Scoring includes categories such as taste, value, ingredients and packaging. The segment is featured on Lempert’s website at www.SuperMarketGuru.com under “New Product Reviews” for the week of November 10.
A.C. Nielsen ratings ending September 4, 2010 ranked Angie’s as the number 10 brand nationally in the Popcorn-Popped Category and the number one selling popcorn brand in Minneapolis — up 235 percent from 2009. In June 2010, Angie’s launched in the Chicago market, and in just three months, according to Nielsen, Angie’s is the seventh most popular popcorn-popped brand in that market.
“We’re honored to be a “hit” as recognized by the Supermarket Guru,” said Dan Bastian, co-founder and president of Angie’s Kettle Corn. “We strive to provide a quality snack product that delivers the perfect balance of sweetness and salt. Plus, all of our products contain no cholesterol, trans fats or preservatives.” The product retails between $2.49 and $3.99 for a 5-7 oz. bag.
Angie’s Kettle Corn is available in Classic, Lite and Caramel. Each batch is handcrafted in cured kettles and uses only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients that are kosher certified and allergy and gluten-free.
Editor’s note: Find Angie’s on-line press room complete with 300dpi product shots, store locations and nutritional information here.
About Angie’s Kettle Corn
Husband and wife entrepreneurs Dan and Angie Bastian founded Angie’s Kettle Corn in 2001 as a family-run, outdoor vendor operation that today has expanded national distribution. Angie’s can be found in 45 states: SuperValu-owned grocery stores, Costco, SuperTarget, Whole Foods, food co-ops as well as at www.angieskettlecorn.com.
About the Supermarket Guru
Phil Lempert is a noted television and radio news reporter, columnist and food-marketing expert. He is a food trends editor and correspondent for NBC’s Today show reporting on consumer trends and food. His SuperMarketGuru.com is visited by over 30,000 unique visitors each month.
MANKATO, Minn. — The economy may be rough but you certainly wouldn’t know it if you walked into Mankato-based Angie’s Kettle Corn.
“We’re manufacturing 16 hours a day and we produce about 30-thousand bags a day, give or take,” says owner Dan Bastian.
The company, which started nine years ago in the Bastian’s garage, has certainly popped. They started selling their sweet and salty popcorn at fairs and festivals until they got a big break from the Minnesota Vikings.
“We did their training camp and then they asked us to come up and work with them on the plaza. That’s where we really developed a following and people started asking us where they could buy it after the season,” says Angie Bastian.
So Angie and Dan started popping, bagging and selling their corn in Lund’s and Byerly’s in 2004. Since then, the company has grown two-thousand percent, yes, two-thousand percent.
And, now, yet another expansion. Angie’s is moving into the Chicago market. They’ve already lined-up several stores to carry the kettle corn. It could soon lead to a national launch of Angie’s.
But, no matter how big Angie’s Kettle Corn gets, Dan and Angie say they will never forget their Minnesota roots.
“I don’t think we could have done what we’ve done anywhere else. Minnesotans have been so supportive,” says Angie.
View this KARE 11 News segment featuring Angie’s Kettle Corn: “Sweet Success – A Local Company Booming In This Salty Economy“.
This time of year, when everyone else is screaming for ice cream, I crave one thing: kettle corn. Give me the sweet and salty, the ying and the yang, and I’ll show you a happy camper. For a long time, I thought all kettle corns were created equal. How much different could it be from one art fair to the next? But as my addiction to kettle corn has grown, I’ve become more sensitive to the times when I have to root around for the “good” pieces—those glossy, extra-sugary kernels (akin to the cheesiest chips in a bag of Doritos. You know what I’m talking about.). Other times, the corn isn’t salted enough to counter the sweetness, which results in a blandness that reminds me of Kix cereal.
(Read the entire article on Minnesotamonthly.com)
North Mankato, MN (PRWEB) May 26, 2010 — Chicagoland, meet Angie’s…and be prepared for love at first bite. Angie’s Kettle Corn, a tasty, all-natural snack sensation produced in the Midwest, today announced that its Original and Lite-flavored bagged kettle corn will be readily available in the snack aisles of Jewel-Osco, Super Target, Whole Foods and other Chicagoland grocery retailers June 6.
“Breaking into a market where the official state snack food is popcorn is a huge opportunity for us to win the hearts – and taste buds – of Chicagoans,” said Dan Bastian, co-founder and president, Angie’s Kettle Corn. “Entering the Chicago market is, as we like to say, a real ‘pop-ortunity’ as Chicago is a major metropolitan market and an important milestone for our growth as a company.”
Chicagoans unfamiliar with Angie’s Kettle Corn can expect a quality product that delivers the perfect balance of sweetness and salt to satisfy their cravings on both ends of the snacking spectrum. Handcrafted in small batches and in real kettles, Angie’s Kettle Corn is made from four simple ingredients: popcorn, corn oil, cane sugar and sea salt. Compared to other snack foods, Angie’s is a healthier snack choice that is Kosher certified and gluten-free. It has no cholesterol, no trans fats, nothing artificial.
Rising in the ranks as one of Minnesota’s favorite, family-owned, entrepreneurial success stories led by founders Angie, a nurse practitioner, and Dan Bastian, a former high school teacher and baseball coach, Angie’s Kettle Corn has turned up the heat on its expansion and growth in the snack food category.
Angie’s Kettle Corn is known for its ingenious marketing efforts, as the Bastians secured official sponsorships with most of Minnesota’s major professional sports teams (Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Twins). It’s no surprise that Angie’s has been able to grow from an outdoor event, mobile kettle corn popper to a popular pre-bagged snack pick with its own wildly passionate fan base, as illustrated on the brand’s Facebook page. Additionally, the Angie’s team will be taking the product to the streets to expand that fan base through a city-wide sampling program during the month of June and over the July 4th weekend.
“We’re thrilled to share our delicious snack with our neighbors in Illinois,” said Angie Bastian, co-founder and namesake of Angie’s Kettle Corn. “Our goal and philosophy has always been pretty simple: create a great-tasting product made with the best ingredients, that is as fun to serve as it is to eat. We invite Chicagoans to give it a try.”
About Angie’s Kettle Corn
Husband and wife entrepreneurs Dan and Angie Bastian founded Angie’s Kettle Corn in 2001. Angie’s humble beginnings were as a small family outdoor vendor operation. Today Angie’s has increased in sales and popularity moving the operation from outdoor festivals and events to a new manufacturing facility and expanded regional distribution channels. Angie’s is the official kettle corn of the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Twins, and can be found in 35 states via: SuperValu owned grocery stores, Costco, Hy-Vee, Lunds/Byerlys, Kowalski’s, SuperTarget, Whole Foods, and other food stores across the region.
When salt and sweet have a love affair what pops out? Angie’s Kettle Corn.
Owners Angie and Dan Bastian started with a kernel of an operation in 2001, making kettle corn for neighborhood events and such to pad their kids’ college fund (a noble beginning to be sure). They really popped onto the snack scene, though, after being asked to pop their stuff for a Vikings’ pre-game party. Angie herself articulates her namesake’s top appeal, “When I’m eating it and get one of those crunchy coated pieces, it’s like finding the golden nugget!”
Why Angie’s and not Dan’s? Picking through the popcorn competition, they noted male-name-domination: Orville, Vic’s, Cracker Jack. It was time for a little equilibration. Angie’s it was.
Angie’s Kettle Corn, available at Byerlys/Lunds, Whole Foods, Kowalski’s and Cub Foods.
Dan Bastian
Dan was born and raised in Minnesota. Before working full time at Angie’s Kettle Corn, Dan was a high school Spanish teacher and baseball coach. Dan and Angie would make kettle corn at night and Dan would make store deliveries – starting at 4 a.m. Although his full-time job has changed, Dan still finds time to coach youth sports teams.
Angie Bastian
Angie was raised in the Midwest and in Florida. In addition to being very involved in the business, Angie works as a nurse practitioner. Despite their successful business, Angie and Dan have never lost sight of the importance of family and consider parenting to be their most important and rewarding endeavor. Angie enjoys her garden and making homemade meals and snacks for her family.
Company Overview
Angie’s Kettle Corn is an artisan treat with the perfect blend of sweetness and salt. Available in two varieties – Classic and Lite – Angie’s Kettle Corn combines sea salt used with traditional popcorn and mixes in a hint of cane sugar to create the ideal savory snack.
How Angie’s Kettle Corn is Made
Angie’s Ingredients
Angie’s Nutrition Facts
Angie’s Sizes/Pricing
The Story of Kettle Corn
The Story on Popcorn
From the family garage to grocery stores, Angie’s Kettle Corn has stayed true to its ingredients for success. Minnesota Business Magazine writer Elizabeth Millard interviews Angie and Dan Bastian about their expanding business and what it’s like to run a growing business as a couple.
Minnesota Business Magazine home page
The setting is deceptively bland: an industrial center in North Mankato, Minnesota. But there, 30,000 bags of kettle corn are produced each day with the phrase “Perfect Balance” written on each package, a reference to the snack’s perfect balance between sweetness and saltiness.
WCCO Minneapolis reporter Angela Davis discovers that the makers of Angie’s Kettle Corn are breathing in the sweet smell of success in this March 28, 2010 segment of Finding Minnesota.
