Klondike Kettle Corn - a business bursting with quality, creativity and drive

If you have ever made popcorn, you can appreciate the gradually-explosive nature of the process. First, the kernels sit in oil while things heat up. After a while, a single kernel pops followed swiftly by a couple more. Suddenly, the batch explodes and the container overflows with the fluffy stuff. That delicious, distinct smell lingers in the air for hours, keeping the delightful snack top-of-mind for the next time the craving strikes.

Klondike Kettle Corn, a woman-owned Yukon business, followed a similar journey. With family by her side, founder/owner Katie Young started selling small-batch popcorn at the Fireweed Community Market in 2010. Hard work, passion and vision, founded on a quality product, led to steady business growth - similar to the gradual popping of those initial kernels. This meant that the business needed to adjust quickly to keep up with increasing demand.

With support from CanNor, Klondike Kettle Corn rented a commercial space in Whitehorse to set up a production facility close to consumers and retailers. The business also purchased a second popcorn machine as well as other new equipment to help increase efficiency, productivity and product development. This support also helped expand marketing efforts to wholesale customers outside the Yukon.

Since then, the sweet-and-salty snack has continued to evolve and grow, offering a diverse line of kettle corn and related products (such as flavour shakers) at grocery stores, coffee shops, retail stores and beyond. Klondike Kettle Corn has maintained strong community ties, sponsoring local events, mentoring and collaborating with other local businesses, and using locally-made, grown and harvested products to enhance various popcorn flavours. The business was even featured in Chatelaine Magazine's recent list of highly giftable snacks, sweets and kitchen treats made in Canada.