Profits pop for Billings Kettle Korn maker

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He calls himself "the undisputed king of Kettle Korn."|ret||ret||tab|

Phil Nelson of Billings, also known as "Pops," has been making his special recipe for Kettle Korn for the last four years. Kettle Korn is popcorn that is sprinkled with salt and sugar while it was popping.|ret||ret||tab|

"This is my grandma's secret recipe," he said. "We locked her in the closet for three days to get it from her. She's still mad at me, but she loves me."|ret||ret||tab|

Like Kettle Korn itself, that particular account comes with a grain of salt.|ret||ret||tab|

The truth is that Nelson, who has sold all kinds of things over the years, decided about four years ago that he wanted to buy a concession trailer and get into the concession business. So he bought the Kettle Korn trailer and the recipe from a man who lived in Lampe.|ret||ret||tab|

The popcorn comes from a company in Illinois and, according to Nelson, "it's basically the same popcorn Cracker Jacks uses."|ret||ret||tab|

When Nelson started Pop's Kettle Korn, he set up the trailer on street corners, at fairs and at festivals to get his name and product out to the public. Now, his product is in more than 100 stores and hospital gift shops in Springfield and surrounding towns, including Branson. It's also available for sale at the Arch in St. Louis. |ret||ret||tab|

"Pops" made contact with each store owner or manager before getting his product placed into businesses. Donna Kirtley is Nelson's girlfriend, accountant and "number one popcorn girl." Kirtley said they started selling kettle korn in stores because they needed a way to market the product.|ret||ret||tab|

While Nelson is one of about a dozen people selling Kettle Korn in the Ozarks, he said he's the only one selling it in stores. "Everyone was already selling it at fairs and festivals," Kirtley said. Retail stores receive 25 percent of Nelson's gross profits.|ret||ret||tab|

Nelson still sells his kettle korn at local events, including Cider Days, coming up Sept. 22 and 23 on Walnut Street, ArtsFest and various fund-raisers. He's a member of the Heart of the Ozarks Sertoma Club and has helped raise money for the Henderson Unit Boys Club on Boonville. |ret||ret||tab|

Pop's Kettle Korn also is sold through mail order. Nelson has mailed his product to people all over the country.|ret||ret||tab|

The korn is made and bagged in Nelson's factory located on his farm in Billings. The 300-acre farm, which is home to 125 cows and 125 calves, is between Clever and Republic.|ret||ret||tab|

The corn is popped in a large cast-iron kettle and then poured into a copper kettle to cool. A blower over the copper kettle helps the cooling process. Cooling the popcorn is necessary to keep it from going stale once it's bagged for sale at stores.|ret||ret||tab|

Nelson started with one delivery of 12 bags and made the kettle korn in his driveway. Now he has a factory and makes approximately 3,000 bags of kettle korn a week with the help of two part-time employees. It takes a minute-and-a-half to make a little more than 100 ounces of popcorn.|ret||ret||tab|

There are two full-time employees in addition to Kirtley. One loads the delivery truck with product and works as the mechanic, while the other drives the delivery truck three days a week stocking the stores and gift shops.|ret||ret||tab|

A 3.5-ounce bag of kettle korn sells for $1.39 and a 10-ounce bag sells for $2.99. It has a shelf life of one month and can be frozen to eat later. |ret||ret||tab|

It is usually found in one of three places in stores: on the popcorn aisle, on the same aisle as the soda or on the aisle with the potato chips.|ret||ret||tab|

Nelson said they're always looking for more stores in which to place his product.|ret||ret||tab|

"I would like to have it in Bass Pro and the Wonders of Wildlife," he said. "I want to keep selling more bags."|ret||ret||tab|

Kirtley said the profits go back into the business. "We've had to buy signs, pay for advertising, the delivery truck and the employees," she said. "The money that's made (an estimated gross of $100,000 this year) goes into making this business a business." |ret||ret||tab|

Nelson and Kirtley said their customers tell them the kettle korn is addictive.|ret||ret||tab|

"People stop us at hotels, restaurants as well as other places because they want to buy kettle korn from us," Kirtley said. "We may be in the delivery truck or they recognize Pops.' People just love this stuff."[[In-content Ad]]