Garrett Popcorn is headed to grocery stores in Chicago for the first time in its history:
Garrett Popcorn, the Chicago-based chain known nationwide for its caramel and cheddar mix, is now selling products at grocery store shelves in the Chicago area for the first time in the brand’s 71-year run, according to a news release. The move is a significant pandemic pivot for the company, originally founded in 1949, that’s made a name for itself with immersive shopping experiences that allow patrons to watch kitchen activities.
There is a catch: the company’s top selling cheddar-caramel combo won’t be available. Garrett is floating trial balloons with new flavors: S’mores, Simply Strawberry, Simply Cocoa, and Simply Matcha. They’ll sell them at chains including Binny’s Beverage Depot, Big Apple Finer Foods in Lincoln Park, and Potash Markets downtown, as well as suburban Sunset Foods and Pete’s Fresh Market. The popcorn at the stores is only available in resealable bags, not as the gift tins many Chicagoans bring to out-of-town friends and family. The company is also featuring special holiday bundles and “stocking stuffers” that does include the combo formerly known as Chicago Mix.
The flagship store on Michigan Ave. is still open now.