Popzup Popcorn: Family business now popping in Somersworth after move from Dover
SOMERSWORTH — No movie or family game night is complete without popcorn, and now the best kept-secret in the Tri-City area is gourmet popcorn being made in downtown Somersworth.
Popzup Popcorn, located in the old mill building at 22 Canal St., is a family-owned business, fueled by a love of popcorn. Marty and Julie Lapham, and now their son, Nolan, with a small group of dedicated employees, are hand-producing their products, They are sold locally, in stores across the country and online.
With flavors like movie theater, butter-me-up, cheddar head, and maple cinnamon toast, and popcorn seasonings such as real butter and sea salt, applewood smoked maple and everything bagel, there is something for every popcorn lover to explore.
Their products are hand made, using natural ingredients, including non-GMO kernels, according to the Laphams, adding they have gluten-free options.
"We have been in Somersworth for a few months," said Julie Lapham. "Before that, we were in Dover, on Washington Street. Basically, we moved from one Chinburg mill to another."
What makes Popzup special?
"Everything we sell are our own products," she said. We do not outsource anything. Even the popcorn kernels are locally grown from area farmers who specialize in the product."
Lapham said the family began making popcorn in 2015, after both she and her husband Marty decided they wanted a chance to do their own thing.
"We both had long-time careers and our children were grown," she said. "Marty had been in marketing/branding, and I worked in natural foods, and their development. We love popcorn and decided we wanted to make a better popcorn and so, here we are. As a popcorn company we consider ourselves accountable for everything we do, for our carbon footprint, our packaging (recyclable) and of course our products which are made using only fresh ingredients, like our cheddar head, made with Vermont cheddar cheese. We use natural local butter, maple syrup, and it makes all the difference."
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Once they were making popcorn, Lapham said, it only made sense to start making popcorn seasonings.
"We first started by bringing our products to local farmer's markets," she said. "It was a hit and we kept going. We care about what we put our name on, and I believe it shows in our products."
Nolan Lapham is a software engineer. His mom said he is creating great systems, specifically for their product lines.
Lapham said people can buy their products at over 2,000 retail locations.
Information: popzup.com
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Popzup Popcorn: Family business now popping in Somersworth NH
