June 3, 2020

A family vacation led Sioux Falls entrepreneurs to add a new venture – a popcorn business.

Salty Pop Popcorn is owned by Will and Heidi DeWitt and managed by their daughter, Morgan. Teenage sons Carter and Camden help with production, and their three youngest children help with packaging and taste-testing. 

The family encountered a unique popcorn shop while traveling that became the inspiration for their latest venture. They also own concrete decor company Kwik Kerb.

“We have the entrepreneur bug in our family,” Heidi DeWitt said.

Salty Pop got its name from its two specialty products: salt water taffy and popcorn. The DeWitts sell their products through retailers. Stensland Family Farms and Plum’s Cooking Co. carry them in Sioux Falls, while Salty Pop also has its products at retailers in Orange City, Iowa. Delivery is free through its website.

The family pops the popcorn in a commercial kitchen north of Sioux Falls.

Salty Pop’s products include classic, caramel, kettle, white cheddar cheese and dark chocolate sea salt popcorn along with caramel and chocolate drizzle popcorn balls. They also sell the Salty Pop popcorn ball — a classic popcorn ball with taffy in the middle. The DeWitts said they strive to include only natural ingredients in their products, stressing that they include no artificial colorings in their popcorn or taffy and use non-GMO kernels.

The timing of the business’ launch came just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Sioux Falls, making for a somewhat unusual first few months. The DeWitts said, however, that their biggest obstacle was just working with a bagging facility on how to properly brand their bags. Since then, it has been smooth sailing, and they said they’ve received great feedback from their customers.

“It’s just something unique and different to the area,” Will DeWitt said. “Our goal is to pop popcorn fresh so that it’s not on the shelf for a long period of time. We’re popping regularly, so we’re giving out fresh popcorn all the time.”

In an unusual time for all, the DeWitts said they hope their treats bring joy and comfort to all who taste them.

“(We) just hope it’s something that allows them to relax and enjoy as a family,” Will DeWitt said. “We want it to be something that is family-friendly and kind of brings a family back together at the same time.”