Walt Disney World adds new popcorn flavor for Valentine's Day: Here's the Florida business that made it
The Florida business helping make Disney's popcorn
Next to the Mickey Ice Cream bars and churros, popcorn (and the buckets they come in) are one of the popular treats at Walt Disney World's theme parks. Ahead of Valentine's Day, Walt Disney World is debuting a new flavor -- Strawberry Crunch, topped with chocolate drizzle, cookie crumbles, and more chocolate. But, did you know, there's a Florida popcorn business owner that helps come up with these creative flavor combinations? FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte tells that story.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Walt Disney World is releasing a new popcorn flavor this National Popcorn Day. It’s called Strawberry Crunch. The new flavor is deliciously sweet; in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, it’s pink too. (Disney revealed the new player on their official parks blog this morning)
In the Kernel Kitchen at the Main Street Confectionary inside Magic Kingdom, you can top off the new flavor with marshmallows, M&M’s, and chocolate drizzle.
The man behind the new flavor is Neal Crosier, the owner of Popcorn Junkie. Croiser and his wife started the popcorn business with a storefront on Church Street in downtown Orlando years ago.
"I was working as a mechanical engineer. My wife and I would always get popcorn," said Croiser. "We couldn't find what we consider 'good' popcorn, and one day I said let’s start our own popcorn business, and my wife said you must be crazy!"
The Crosiers have since teamed up with The Walt Disney Company – and business has boomed. They closed their physical store and are now focused on large commercial orders and online orders because they’re so busy in their factory, popping up new flavors for Disney's theme parks, resorts, and cruises.
"Our business took off. We do well over 200% than what we used to do," said Croiser. "I had no idea it would grow this quickly and this big, and it’s still growing."
Croiser said the unique flavors he creates will just pop into his head.
"Sometimes I’m just driving my car and I think ‘I wonder how this would taste or that would taste'," he said.
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Croiser said it gives him so much joy to see people visiting the parks enjoying his popcorn as they walk down Main Street.
"Sometimes I come, and I see my popcorn in someone’s hand, the kids getting excited eating it," he said. "It's a great feeling. It makes you feel like you did something special, which is what life’s all about."
It's Croiser's creativity that helped keep the popcorn flavors fresh for guests – young and old – at Disney's parks and resorts.
"Whether it’s a guest who comes weekly, annually, or once in a lifetime – they want to see something unique and different; they don’t want to see the same thing all the time," said Patrice Guy, a merchandise manager at Disney.
He said Disney's partnership with Croiser not only helps support a Florida-owned business but allows them to have a close relationship with the businesses they’re working with.
"Smaller local suppliers depend on us and the volume that we’re doing so for us to build that relationship and ask what’s next. We love calling Neal and asking what else is on the menu," said Guy.
Disney said it works with more than 2,500 small businesses in Florida.
The new popcorn flavor will be available at Disney's theme parks through Feb. 15.