National Popcorn Purveyor Coming to Tulsa

A few snack carts will soon pop up Inside the BOK Center, adding at least three Tulsa kernels to the cob or a national popcorn franchise. Doc Popcorn, headquartered in Boulder, Colo., recently reached its first franchise agreement in Oklahoma with Claremore resident Dolphus Clancy.

 A Doc Popcorn cart similar to this one will soon pop up in the BOK Center.

“I've been m manufacturing for about 30 years and I'm not ready to quit doing anything." said Clancy, 60. “I saw this on a national news program on national popcorn day and it looked like a fun venture.”

National popcorn day was celebrated on Jan. 19. According to The Popcorn Board website, which is the nonprofit arm or U.S. popcorn producers. 

 The corny company takes on standard flavors – butter, cinnamon, cheese, caramel and kettle -with a natural and nutritional twist.

 Flavors such as Klassic Kettle and Sinfully Cinnamon only have a few ingredients and 130 calories or less for a one-cup serving, according to the company's website.

“I’ve always liked popcorn, but I didn't know there were so many varieties out there. And I like the idea of healthy popcorn,” Clancy said

Doc Popcorn currently has 78 locations listed online In the U.S. with the nearest locations being in the Dallas area. Clancy's deal marks the 100th franchise agreement for the family-owned lranch1se.

Clancy said he and his son, 27-year-old Patton, expect to open the first cart In June and will later add employees, expanding to at least three mobile carts.

Each location will serve soft drinks and the original nine flavors - sweet butter, Klassic kettle, cheesy cheddar, better butter, triple white cheddar, salt-n-pepper caramel kettle, hoppin' Jalapeno and sinfully cinnamon - during BOK Center events

Doc Popcorn gives prospective franchisors three shop options: PopShops storefronts for about $160,000. PopKiosks as islands in venues and malls starting at $100,000, and PopCarts as mobile snack restaurants at $72,000 each. Clancy declined to name his total franchise investment.

Doc Popcorn CEO Rob Israel, who founded the company with his wife Renee In their New York City apartment, said Clancy has the right to open as many as five units nationwide.

Israel said the company came from his own taste buds and from a desire to make a sometimes unhealthy snack both nutritious and indulgent.

“There's movie theater popcorn on one side of the spectrum and there's candy-coated and sugary popcorn on the other side." he said via phone from his Colorado office. There wasn't a middle, so we set out to fill that gap.”

The couple honed their gluten, wheat and nut free recipes in the Big Apple before moving to Boulder and opening the first location inside Flatiron Crossing in Broomfield. Colo., in 2003.

Since then the company has grown and is now reaching Oklahoma, which Israel said could be a budding growth market - though he added Clancy's locations will serve as a proving ground for the franchise's potential success

But Israel said both the product and business model will help the company grow.

“Gosh, it's only popcorn. It's so simple." he said.