Carnival & Fair Buzz

SANTA CLARA, CA (January 19, 2023) - Ask anyone their favorite flavor of popcorn and responses will include everything from sea salt to caramel to butter even cheesy or drizzled in chocolate. A favorite food for more than 5,000 years, popcorn is synonymous with snacking.   

Today, in honor of National Popcorn Day, Santa Cruz Fun Foods has exclusively launched a new line that unites the tradition of fresh popcorn with a beloved sweet treat brand. ICEE Popcorn is now available, and will soon be found in theme parks, movie theatres, stadiums, attractions, and even living rooms.

Available in two unique flavors – Cherry and Blue Raspberry, and Caramel Corn mixed with Apple – ICEE Popcorn is the latest collaboration between Santa Cruz Fun Foods and the ICEE Company.

“At Santa Cruz Fun Foods, we believe in creating smiles one taste at a time,” says Jenny Whiting Gump, director of marketing. “We are always inspired by the fun foods found on the boardwalk, and the nostalgia that people feel with a favorite snack. With ICEE Popcorn, we have an exclusive treat that starts with the iconic tastes of the ICEE brand and reimagines classic popcorn in a fun, unexpected and flavorful way.”

How did the idea for new popcorn come to bite…light? Santa Cruz Fun Foods used the time during the pandemic to dream of – and try - new flavors for classic treats. Time, taste, and talent came together, and the company’s first collaboration with The ICEE® Company emerged.  

ICEE Cotton Candy provided a new brand of flavors for the sweet summer staple. Using ICEE’s beloved flavors and blending them into new, cottony goodness, ICEE Cotton Candy has surprised and delighted guests of all ages since debuting in 2021. With the success of the updated summer staple, Santa Cruz Fun Foods and ICEE continued to explore what could be next and looked to the ubiquitous snack – popcorn.

Each year, Americans consume more than 17 billion quarts of popcorn; by volume, it is the country’s favorite snack. Bite-sized, shareable, and easily distributed, popcorn can be found just about anywhere people are enjoying themselves.

“Food enjoyed at places like parks, attractions, and stadiums, are an important part of the overall experience,” Gump continued. “It is both nostalgic and iconic. With ICEE Popcorn we now have flavors that make popcorn simultaneously traditional, and wholeheartedly new. We can’t wait for everyone to try it.”

Available in pre-filled, branded popcorn bags, ICEE Popcorn can be directly ordered from Santa Cruz Fun Food. Bulk shipping and wholesale opportunities are available, with direct-to-consumer buying options coming soon.