"Pop Popcorn" is Doudlah Farms' new ready-to-eat popped popcorn product line. The decision to launch on Amazon (rather than website-only) was finalized in the [1], driven primarily by the [2], which can only reimburse Amazon-channel fees — not website sales. A website-only launch would forfeit all grant reimbursement on marketing and production costs.
"The reason we probably are forced to do Amazon is due to cash flow and reimbursement. If we just stay within our website, then we don't have any reimbursement ability." — Lucy Doudlah
TS Foods will handle all popping and bagging operations.
Bag Specifications:
- Minimum order: 25,000 bags at $0.40/bag (~$10,000 total)
- 30,000 bags: $0.32/bag
- 45,000 bags: $0.28/bag
- 8 printing plates required at $400/plate = $3,600 upfront plate cost
- Plates are a one-time investment; minor design changes require replacing only affected plates
Oil:
- Mark prefers Wildly Organics coconut oil over TS Foods' default Nutiva option
- The distinction is refined vs. non-refined (blue label vs. orange label) — TS Foods has equipment constraints around this
- Final oil sourcing decision pending
Certifications required before production:
- Demeter certification approval
- ROC (Regenerative Organic Certified) approval
- Ingredient documentation (percentage breakdown of each ingredient for certification compliance)
Estimated ~1 month from decision to launch, contingent on:
| Milestone | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Moza bag design approval | Lucy / Moza | Pending |
| Demeter & ROC certification sign-off | Mark / Lucy | Pending |
| Oil sourcing finalized (Wildly Organics) | Mark | Pending |
| Bag order placed (25k minimum) | Lucy | Pending |
| Bag delivery to TS Foods (~15 biz days) | Bag supplier | Not started |
| TS Foods production scheduling | TS Foods | Not started |
| Amazon listing creation & case pack setup | Asymmetric (Mark) | Not started |
Before placing the bag order, Asymmetric (Mark) is tasked with drafting a launch plan covering:
Lucy's concern: committing to 25,000+ bags before knowing sell-through velocity. The velocity research is intended to inform this decision before the order is placed.
Primary: Amazon FBA (required for VAPG reimbursement)
Secondary (post-launch, once kinks resolved):
- Doudlah Farms website
- B2B site
- Local/regional retail (stores Doudlah Farms already delivers to)
Deferred: Vending machines — tabled for 1–2 months until Amazon launch is stable. Bag fit and drop mechanics need testing before committing to that channel.
| Cost Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Printing plates (8 × $400) | $3,600 |
| 25,000 bags @ $0.40 | $10,000 |
| Total upfront bag/plate cost | ~$13,600 |
VAPG grant eligibility covers Amazon fees (ads, storage, shipping) on popcorn — potentially offsetting the ongoing cost of selling through Amazon. Production and bag costs may also qualify; Asymmetric to confirm with Stewards Unlimited (Daniella & Stephen).