Popcorn: hoping for an explosion Ideas are emerging to take consumption of one of America's favourite snacks from the silver screen to the small screen. Sheila Eggleston reports Unlike the US where the popcorn market is enormous, the jury is still out in the UK. After years of claims of underdevelopment by manufacturers, there now seems to be a rush of activity to exploit its growth potential. Despite static growth within multiples and co-ops, where the popcorn sector is valued at £16.1m, manufacturers are keen to win consumers over and grab a bigger share of the total £34m retail market [Information Resources]. Trebor Bassett's customer marketing controller John Coe blames past owners on the lack of investment in the Butterkist brand and refutes accusations that his company hasn't done enough to promote popcorn. "We are up against giants in confectionery and snacking who spend a lot of money, and we compete for retailer space. "Just relying on one brand to drive a whole category is wrong. If you take us out of the equation, no one else is doing retail promotions, and that's not driving the sector." With the bulk of the market in cinema chains, ideas are emerging from there to bridge the gap between snacking and home entertainment. Trebor Bassett claims 56% of the total market for brand leader Butterkist, and sees packaging as a key motivator in driving sales. In the same way the company brought out Miniature Heroes in a sharing tub, it has introduced a 350g resealable tub for Butterkist. Packaging innovation will be of more interest to consumers than flavours, says Coe. "It emphasises a great opportunity for family sharing and Butterkist to be associated with home entertainments ­ watching videos and DVD," he explains. However the company doesn't rule out a chocolate link. "We don't rule anything out as a business and with our track record in Cadbury, it is an area we would look at," says Coe. Paynes has already taken this route, coating toffee popcorn with chocolate. Having trialled the Poppets line in Northern Ireland since March, it has now made its national debut backed by a £1m marketing package. Recently launched into Sainsbury is Box Office popcorn. Made by Kernel Snack Products, it's a cinema style pack for home use where the bag is removed and warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds, then the popcorn is poured back into the box. The 170g box retails for £1.69. "Millions of tubs are sold in cinema chains throughout the UK, but this authentic cinema popcorn, which is lighter, moreish and not so heavy going, isn't readily available in a container in supermarkets," says sales director Tony Dodsworth. "In cinemas the audience is more teenage and older. That's the category we want to grow," says Dodsworth. While KSP targets this age group, Swizzels Matlow targets kids with its crunchy buttered popcorn using fun characters, Pop and Corn. Relative newcomer to the UK market is Popz, a US brand marketed in the Europe by Soller Europe and claimed to be Europe's second largest microwave popcorn brand. Launched here in October 1999, the brand is being backed with a £1.2m national support package. Soller's general manager UK George Phillips says: "With Popz we aim to broaden consumers' understanding of where and when they can eat microwave popcorn. "Home entertainment such as watching videos, playing games, net surfing and sleep-overs are ideal opportunities to communicate this message." {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}

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