Go Behind the Scenes at Popcornopolis

Michele StuevenFood

The Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisSorting through Unicorns; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisUnicorn is the latest flavorThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: Popcornopolisdrizzled with lemon.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisDance of the Unicorns: Popcornopolis has given away over 150 million free samples in the last 15 years.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisThe 40The Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: Popcornopolis000-square-foot Vernon facility.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisThe factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisCredit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisSaturdayThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: Popcornopolisis National Popcorn Day.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisPopcorn makes people happy.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisFree samples of Unicorn popcorn will be rolling out at Costco stores in February.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisUnicorn developer Laura Cerny; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisNew flavors being experimented with in the test kitchen are chili limeThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: Popcornopolissmoked salt and ranch.; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisLaura Cerny in the test kitchen making Zebra cornThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisLaura Cerny in the test kitchen making Zebra cornThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: PopcornopolisLaura Cerny in the test kitchen making Zebra cornThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: Popcornopoliscooling in the test kitchen; Credit: Michele StuevenThe Popcornopolis factory pops nearly 20 million pounds of American-grown popcorn every year in these small-batch poppers.; Credit: Popcornopolis

Saturday, Jan. 19, is National Popcorn Day and to celebrate, L.A. Weekly got an exclusive tour of Wally and Kathy Arnold's family-run Popcornopolis facility in Vernon and a taste of their newest flavor, Unicorn.

Developed by food scientist Laura Cerny, Unicorn is a fruit-flavored mix of colorful mushroom popcorn drizzled with a lemon topping that is an all-natural flavor cross between Trix and Froot Loops cereals. Packaged in a pink mini version of Popcornopolis' signature cellophane cones, the all-natural Unicorn samples will be rolled out in Costco stores next month in time for Valentine’s Day.

To celebrate a day dedicated to popcorn, Popcornopolis is offering special deals all month long, including a social media promotion where one lucky popcorn lover could win one year’s worth of Popcornopolis.

National Popcorn Day revelers who visit the Del Amo Mall and Universal City Walk locations on Jan. 19 will receive one free cone of choice and one free Nearly Naked cone with the purchase of three regular cones.

Online shoppers can participate, too: Get two free jumbo cones after a purchase of four jumbo cones at popcornopolis.com or visit popcornopolis.com/popcorn-day-sweepstakes for a chance to win a year’s worth of popcorn.

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