BUSINESS HUB NIGERIA

POPCORN

Introduction

Almost everyone love popcorn. It is a fun-food that is enjoyable to eat and easy to prepare. Popcorn is a great way to get into the food business with minimal financial requirement, little wonder then that it has become a sizzling business in Nigeria today. Popcorn business is one business people don’t know much about.

Popping corn kernels requires heat to drive a phase change in the small amount of water (i.e., moisture) that normally resides in a kernel. As the water quickly transforms from a liquid to a gas state, the volume it occupies increases by a factor of 1700 – thus providing the explosive force for popping. It is important that the heat is transferred quickly, avoiding pervaporation which allows water to escape without creating the explosive force. The latent moisture in a kernel is therefore critical; kernels should be stored properly to keep their moisture content stable. Only a few knows about the profitability of this business and are happy to keep it away from people. This article will expose to you how you will get started in simple easy steps.

There are two kinds of machine that pops the corn, the manual and the electronic machines. The manual is sold around N35,000 and the electronic around N150,000. The manual makes use of cooking gas. Ingredients are baking milk, sugar and butter and of course the corn. The profit potential is quite good and if you take it to the next level you will make even more sales and have more money.

Equipment

Space/Shop: Popcorn business doesn’t require much space. You can attach yourself with another shop owner and pay little amount or even nothing. You can attach yourself anywhere like parks, around higher institutions, markets, at a corner in the street.

Popcorn Machine: This is the popcorn maker. There are different sizes of the popcorn machine. Since you are just starting, I suggest you go for the small or moderate size. You won’t be told when to need the bigger machines. There are ones that produce salt and sugar popcorns at the same time. Could be around N70,000. It is moderate in size and processes faster and neat popcorns. However this operates on electricity. If your area doesn’t have regular power you can go for the one that uses both gas and electricity. There are also good ones that operate on gas only. All you have to do is check your pocket and know the one you can get; there is always room for improvement. The regular popcorn maker costs about N20,000 or thereabout. Approach the sellers and negotiate the price.

Bags of corn: Corn is the major raw material in the production of popcorn. You can get a bag for a start. You will know you are supposed to increase your supplies.

Groundnut oil: Choosing the correct oil will be your biggest decision. Oil affects the taste and the nutritional value of the popcorn. Peanut oil is readily available in Nigeria but there are bad ones however. I suggest you should get the sealed peanut oil since this guarantees a good measure of safety. There are so many bad oils in the market. Remember that whatever people eat is indirectly connected to health so you should be conscious of the oil you use.

Sugar, butter and salt: Popcorn is made with sugar, butter and salt. You should know the proportion of the components needed to make great tasting popcorn. I suggest you should get the skill of mixing your popcorn properly. This is where great taste is hinged.

Branded paper bags: For your packaging, I suggest you use branded paper bags, it is eco-friendly and a good way to stay ahead of competitors in this business. Have your business name printed on the bags. But if you can’t go through that, it is not illegal to use the regular packs we see around. When your business begins to grow you can improve.

Materials

Popcorn kernels

Heat transfer medium

Oil (traditional)

Air (hot air popper)

Popcorn kernels

Premium kernels are essential for quality popcorn. Desirable kernel characteristics:

§  Relatively large and plump

§  White or yellow in color

§  Ideal moisture content (13-14%)

§  Proper packaging to ensure moisture stability

§  High popped to un-popped volume expansion ratio

Heat transfer medium: A key factor impacting how a kernel pops is how heat is transferred to the kernel. Oil is the traditional medium; it has several advantages over air and microwaves. Provides even and continuous contact with the kernel and heating equipment – thus maximizing heat transfer. It adds flavor to the popped corn.

Seasonings: Although dry popped corn has taste, its taste can be enhanced with simple seasonings. Real butter provides the best taste and does not contain trans-fat that is associated with margarine. A small amount of salt magnifies the corn and butter flavors. Sugar, caramel, cheese and other flavorings are common but are too dominate and can interfere with the taste of the corn.

Equipment

Popping equipment desirable characteristics:

Ability to transfer heat to heat transfer medium quickly and evenly

Avoid burning

Allow steam to escape

Holding equipment desirable characteristics:

Cool slowly and evenly

Allow moisture to escape

Allow for transferring and mixing

The traditional covered pot: Although simple, the traditional covered pot may be the best choice for making quality homemade popcorn. The pot interior should be made of good quality stainless steel and have a smooth finish on the inside. No pitting or visible corrosion, free of char and scorch stains (impacts heat transfer). Aluminum core and exterior desirable (provides even heating). The pot height should be close to 4 inches or more to allow steam to escape and counts for expected volume expansion if a single layer of kernels is used.

Storage containers: Paper bag is preferable for cooling. It is a low heat material and prevents condensation during cooling. It also absorbs and wicks moisture, keeping popcorn dry and fluffy. Large volume allows for easy bulk cooling and mixing. Paper bag is also disposable and recyclable.

Techniques

Technique is critical for consistent high quality, high yielding popcorn. There are four techniques in popcorn production:

§  Preheating

§  Popping

§  Cooling

§  Seasoning

§  Serving and storage

Preheating: The water inside the kernel need to reach 100°C so that steam can be created and cause the pressure to build and to provide the explosive “pop.” The temperature inside the kernel is related to exterior kernel temperature, which is related to oil temperature, which is related to pot temperature which is related to stove temperature, which is the heat source. The stove, pot and oil should be individually preheated to allow for optimal thermal equilibrium and temperature gradients. Indicating kernels are used to verify when the oil has reached popping temperature of approximately 210 to 230°C.

Popping: For maximum batch yield without compromising other factors, pop as many kernels as it takes to form a single layer in the pot. I suggest you use a big pot that will accommodate a reasonable layer. Mixing is critical during both heating and popping of the kernels and also makes sure kernels are evenly coated with hot oil as this minimizes temperature variations in the pot. Mixing also moves displaced, non-popped kernels to the bottom of the pot so they can return to the oil for popping.

Opening the lid during popping allows steam to escape to keep popped kernels dry, light and fluffy. When the popping rate declines, remove the pot from the heat source, not when the popping has stopped. Popping popcorn kernels absorb heat from the oil, pot and stove, once in decline, the temperature of the pot and oil begins to rise significantly and can cause oil to smoke, burn and scorch, imparting a bad taste to your popcorn.

Cooling: Cooling is a critical yet often unmanaged step in popcorn production. Fresh, hot popcorn needs to cool in a controlled fashion that gets rid of unwanted condensation. Paper is ideal surface as it absorbs moisture and has low heat capacity. Glass, porcelain or metal are not recommended because they retain moisture which condenses on the popped corn and this makes it less crispy and crunchy. Corn does not remain fresh too long during storage.

Seasoning: Seasoning is a personal preference, but most popcorn enthusiasts celebrate popcorn with simple butter and salt. The oil used provides flavor, so use only minimal amounts of real butter and salt or sugar. Slowly drizzle butter evenly over the popcorn, mixing frequently. Be sure to coat the popcorn evenly and lightly. Don’t soak or drench the popcorn after butter seasoning, carefully add salt and (or) sugar to taste. Salt will stick to popcorn. Dispense slowly over wide area, mixing frequently.

Packaging and storage: Popcorn is best enjoyed when fresh; hence it should not be popped when it is not going to be eaten in twelve hours as it loses its crispiness before long. It is best to package your popcorn in a paper bag. You can produce the paper bags yourself as you will also learn how to produce paper bags in this book. Your popcorn can come in N50.00 packages or in bigger packs as you desire. Be sure popcorn is also at room temperature before sealing container; this will minimize moisture and extend storage time.

Final note

This business has enriched many youths especially those who would have otherwise sat at home after secondary school. People look away from this business because it is construed not to yield much profit but that’s unfortunate. Popcorn business doesn’t require extensive space to operate. The portability of the popcorn making machine allows for the business to be established in the smallest of spaces and on the spur of the moment. People of all ages enjoy the wonderful taste of popcorn at any event or roadside.