Popcorn has long been one of Britain’s favourite snacks, but until recently it’s sat firmly in two camps: the sugary tubs you grab at the cinema, or the plain “better-for-you” bags in supermarkets.
Somewhere along the way, the joy, theatre and flavour potential of popcorn got lost.
Enter Tommy Popcorn, a bold new popcorn brand for today’s adventurous snackers. Born from late-night conversations between co-founders Tom Leigh, Michael Norr and Jason Martinez Moreno, the brand is now shaking up the U.S. market and preparing to ‘pop off’ worldwide.
Popcorn with personality
At the heart of Tommy Popcorn isn’t just popcorn, it’s storytelling. The brand is built around “Tommy”, a fictional Italian-American living in 1950s Brooklyn, obsessed with popcorn and larger-than-life flavours. You won’t ever meet him, but you’ll see his world everywhere: in the packaging, the names, and the cinematic feel that makes each bag feel like stepping into a movie.
It’s a clever move by the founders that turns a snack into an experience, making Tommy Popcorn feel more like a cult brand than just another snack.
A flavour line-up never seen before
Tommy Popcorn’s flavours are unique and nostalgic. Each one is designed to transport you somewhere new.
The line up includes:
- Sweet Cinnamon – nostalgic and comforting, inspired by the warm sweetness of childhood cereals.
- Iconic Caramel – a classic salted caramel popcorn with a twist, silky and smooth with a premium finish.
- Golden Irish – infused with Irish whiskey flavouring, delivering sophistication in a bag.
- Empire State – perhaps the boldest of the lot, recreating the flavour of a New York cheese slice in crunchy popcorn form.
- Mallow Magic – marshmallow-infused and playful, taking inspiration from Lucky Charms for a burst of sweet nostalgia.
This line-up is what sets Tommy apart. Instead of leaning on the usual salty-sweet divide, the brand has built a suite of flavours that feels adventurous and indulgent.
The craft approach
Where coffee, beer, and chocolate have all enjoyed their “craft” moment, popcorn has largely stood still. Tommy Popcorn is out to change that. By treating popcorn as a way to tell stories, the brand is turning this archaic product into something new and exciting.
“Popcorn is a blank canvas” commented Tom Leigh, Co-Founder at Tommy Popcorn “That’s what makes it so exciting for us as a brand. We’re not just coating kernels; we’re showing people that popcorn can be as creative and craft-driven as coffee, beer or chocolate.”
The packaging is another bold move by the brand. It’s everything the world of Tommy is about – it’s cinematic and loud. It doesn’t make you feel like you’re eating a movie snack, it makes you feel like you’re stepping into the screen.
Tommy Popcorn: the next big thing
For the founders, Tommy Popcorn is about theatre as much as it is about taste. Whether it’s a bag of Golden Irish shared over drinks, or Empire State at a late-night film screening, the aim is to make popcorn the centrepiece of moments.
With its bold flavour line-up and world-building brand, Tommy Popcorn is pushing popcorn firmly into the spotlight.
It’s playful, premium, and just the kind of product the snack aisle has been waiting for.
