Popcorn Kitchen

The challenge

Popcorn Kitchen is a gourmet popcorn company that only works with best-in-class ingredients and stubbornly refuses to be party to any ‘quick-fix,’ synthetic short-cuts. The small batch, artisanal operation has been making sublime popcorn since 2012, when it first made its name on the Surrey food festival circuit, selling freshly popped popcorn from a mobile popcorn kettle. Led by ambitious co-owners Louise Webb and Andy Valentine, Popcorn Kitchen supplies discerning retailers online and instore, from luxury hamper businesses to upmarket grocers, garden centres and retailers, such as Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.

In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic brought about huge challenges for the food industry. Almost overnight, sales went quiet as traditional B2B customers, such as cinemas, shops and wholesale distributors, closed their doors. However, Britain is a nation of snackers! The UK’s first coronavirus lockdown led to a substantial rise in snacking because so many people were working from home, needing a luxury extra to boost morale while they couldn’t go out to eat at restaurants.

Popcorn Kitchen therefore needed to focus on a small number of key customers who were still trading and in some cases, such as online/hamper companies, experiencing significant growth. It also needed to capitalise on consumer demand for plant-based comfort foods where splurges didn’t unpick wider healthier living aspirations as well as expand its reach into new, head-turning flavours. Food marketing agency KW Marketing had been working with Popcorn Kitchen since 2018, and the digital marketing consultancy’s food industry experience proved to be just what Popcorn Kitchen required to support its digital marketing strategy during the pandemic.

The solution

KW Marketing used paid social media ads and sponsored or promoted posts to target specific demographics, generating awareness around the brand’s content and new products, and sending traffic to online stores. The organic social media strategy positioned Popcorn Kitchen as ‘one to watch’ in the world of experimental, premium snacking, communicating its values and aesthetics and engaging with customers.

KW Marketing created campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, targeting aspirational and health-conscious foodie consumers.

The impact

After working with KW Marketing, Popcorn Kitchen saw elevated sales from its paid social media marketing and organic social campaigns.

Paid social media: Q4

  • Sales: 321
  • Impressions: 124.7k
  • Reach: 75.7k
  • Cost: £466.72
  • Cost per purchase (CPP): £1.73
  • Estimated purchase value (EPV): £11,556
  • Return on ad spend (ROAS): 25

After just one quarter, Popcorn Kitchen saw a total of 321 sales, 124.7k impressions and reach of 75.7k. We spent £466.72 in total and for every new purchase/customer, we spent £1.73. We saw an EPV of £11,556, which is a good estimation of what we made in revenue.

Best campaign

  • Sales: 91
  • Impressions: 22.3k
  • Reach: 14.2k
  • Cost: £66
  • Cost per purchase (CPP): £0.73
  • Estimated purchase value (EPV): £3,276
  • Return on ad spend (ROAS): 50

KW Marketing’s best campaign saw 91 conversions (sales), 22.3k impressions and reach of 14.2k. We spent £66 in total and for every new purchase/customer, we spent 73p. We saw an EPV of £3,276, which is a good estimation of what we made in revenue.

Today, Popcorn Kitchen has a thriving reputation for impeccable quality and constantly developing new products. Coupled with its fast-moving, agile mindset, there’s so much more to come! Having a digital marketing agency that knows the brand and is with it as it grows and changes can make all the difference. Now, food marketing agency KW Marketing supports the brand’s paid social strategy, organic social media as well as providing email consultancy.

 ‘We’ve been working with Kate for over three years and she has really helped sharpen our social media approach and outputs. Kate brings a clear point of view, creativity, pragmatism and has made a major contribution to our online sales growth.’ 

Andy Valentine, Owner and Director, Popcorn Kitchen

Want results like this? Book a call today with food marketing agency KW Marketing to chat about how paid and organic social can keep your business as busy as popcorn in a kettle.