Quinn Snacks, a mission-driven snack company, has announced the relaunch of Family Farmed Pop-at-Home Kernels, available directly on the Quinn website. The renovation of the Popcorn Kernels will drive forward the company’s mission to make real change to the food system through ingredient transparency and sourcing partnerships with farmers working to advance regenerative agriculture. 

The Popcorn Kernels are grown and packaged on McKaskle Family Farm in Braggadocio, MO. Steve McKaskle, fifth-generation farmer and soil health pioneer, has been integrating regenerative farming principles such as minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing biodiversity, and reducing synthetic inputs on his land for close to 30 years. The Popcorn Kernels are packaged in a 35% post-consumer recycled pouch. The packing is done less than a quarter mile from the farm in a building that previously housed the town’s bank. 

“At Quinn we have always believed transparency is the most powerful force for good in the food system. Partnering with the McKaskle family has given us the opportunity to share everything about where and how our popcorn kernels are grown and packaged,” said Kristy Lewis, Quinn founder/chief visionary officer. 

“It’s been an honor to learn from Steve and his family while working on this new product,” said Grace Dennis, sustainability and sourcing manager at Quinn. “For nearly 30 years, the McKaskle’s have been dedicated to promoting soil health and they continue to experiment with innovative approaches to regenerative farming.”

In December of 2021, Quinn was selected to participate in the Boulder County Food & Beverage Pollution-Reduced Packaging Pilot, an EPA-funded pilot program assisting the transition to pollution-reduced and sustainable packaging formats. Through this pilot, Quinn worked with experts at packaging and sustainability consultancy RRS to evaluate the environmental impact of the previous multi-layer gable top carton packaging and identify lower impact alternatives. This analysis ultimately guided the transition to a 35% post-consumer recycled stand up pouch. While the previous carton could be recycled in some curbside programs, the transition to the lighter weight pouch resulted in an approximately 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through its lifecycle.

"Food and beverage manufacturers have a critical role to play in tackling the climate crisis. We are thrilled to see Quinn’s innovation and leadership in this space as they integrate their learnings from the pilot into developing more sustainable packaging," said Susie Strife, Boulder County director of sustainability, climate action, and resilience.

The 28-oz. pouch of Popcorn Kernels is sold as a stand-alone item on the Quinn website. Also available, just in time for the holidays, is Quinn’s new Popcorn Bundle which contains the 28-oz. pouch of kernels, nine popcorn seasoning packets, and a microwavable popper.

For more about Quinn Snacks, see "Snacks reimagined—Quinn Snacks, 2017 Snack Producer of the Year" on the SF&WB website.