Kernel and Pop started innocently enough when founder Kelsey Lloyd Throne was a child. Her father’s hardware store had a popcorn machine and she regularly smelled that buttery aroma wafting through the store.

But she discovered gourmet popcorn while living as an undergrad in Pittsburgh, Pa. Caramel and Cheddar were her first favorites, but a variety of savory and sweet flavors opened her eyes to a whole new world of popcorn.

After she married and had children, her father retired from the hardware business and kept the popcorn machine. So, she started making popcorn in small batches for parties and gifts. It quickly caught on and *BOOM* Kernel and Pop was born!