Mickey’s Popcorn is a family-owned and operated gourmet small-batch popcorn company that has outgrown its former rental space for their new larger manufacturing factory. Dr. Penny Mickey and Mr. Kenneth Mickey, owners and co-founders of Mickey’s Popcorn, added a contract to provide popcorn for guests at four Hilton hotels and are planning to increase popcorn production to 6,000 bags per week with the additional space and resources. Recently the company established a licensing partnership with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey to launch their latest popcorn flavor, Tennessee Whiskey Caramel, the first of its kind in the market.
In an announcement on this new venture, Dr. Mickey wrote, “Ours is a story of two African-American female led businesses that are harnessing the strengths of each other’s product to propel forward in our respective industries. I think Nearest Green would be proud of our collaboration!”
Nathan “Nearest” Green is credited with perfecting the Lincoln County Process, the defining taste of Tennessee whiskey.
The EDGE Economic Development Finance Committee approved the $15,000 ICED Loan request for Mickey’s Popcorn to help renovate the future 3127 Stonebrook Circle location and prepare the space for a commercial snack food manufacturing business. Total qualified project costs are $36,500, not including the $310,000 building purchase. The loan will help the Mickeys renovate the 4,500 square foot building constructed in 1968 by bringing it up to food manufacturing health codes, sealing the concrete floor, installing plumbing upgrades, and improving interior circulation, as well as installing an exterior parking area and an upgraded entrance.
With the new space and estimated boost in production, the Mickeys are working with distributors for product placement, entertaining military bases, grocery stores, and even airports as potential vendors.