Now Reading: Preferred Popcorn to launch premium mushroom variants in India
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Preferred Popcorn to launch premium mushroom variants in India
US-based Preferred Popcorn, which supplies popcorn kernels, plans to introduce premium mushroom popcorn variants in India as demand for gourmet popcorn rises. Mushroom kernels are rounder and denser than regular butterfly varieties, making them ideal for flavours such as caramel and cheese.
Thomas Peace, Director of Sales at Preferred Popcorn, said the company traditionally focused on butterfly varieties over the last decade but is now diversifying into mushroom variants to cater to a different customer base. The company operates in India through a partnership with Chennai-based Gourmet Popcornica, supplying bulk kernels to restaurants, retailers, and cinemas.
Kernels are grown locally on 16 acres across nine states, sourced from Indian farmers. Peace noted that importing kernels attracted a 55% import duty, making them cost-prohibitive for many cinemas, prompting the company to grow US-style popcorn in India despite climatic challenges.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The shift to mushroom popcorn reflects a broader premiumisation trend in India's snack market, where brands like 4700BC have built a niche for gourmet ready-to-eat popcorn. Preferred Popcorn's local cultivation model, the only one outside the US, sidesteps a steep 55% import duty that made imported kernels expensive for cinemas. The company's 16-acre farm network across nine states is small but strategic, scaling up will depend on whether Indian farmers can reliably produce US-style kernels in tropical conditions. Watch for how competitors respond: if mushroom popcorn gains traction, more importers may follow Preferred's local cultivation route, reshaping the supply chain for India's growing gourmet snack segment.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
