Grower Stories #101: Robert Arabian

Tia Moskalenko, author of the AskGrowers blog, brings a unique blend of content to her readers. She is known for conducting insightful interviews with key figures in the cannabis industry, including brand representatives, manufacturers, and experts. In addition to her interview skills, Tia has a keen focus on CBD. She expertly curates product selections and reviews, offering her readers detailed insights into the various effects and benefits of CBD. Tia's ability to combine in-depth interviews with comprehensive CBD analysis makes her a valuable asset to the cannabis community, offering a well-rounded perspective on the industry.

Published

Jun 17 2021

Updated

Nov 13 2023

Interviews

412

4 min

Robert Arabian, Founder of Pop-Up Potcorn Talks About the Brand and the Snack That Is Like No Other

In the interview with AskGrowers, Robert Arabian, founder of Pop-Up Potcorn talks about the brand’s creation, the idea behind it, and the company’s products - microwave and ready to go cannabis-infused popcorns. An interesting story about something unique on the cannabis market. #growerstories

Tia (AskGrowers) : What inspired you to get into the cannabis industry?

Robert Arabian : I first got introduced to cannabis culture by going to music festivals in the northeast in the early 2000s. I started cultivating my cannabis around the same time while living in Vermont and quickly wanted to learn everything I could about the plant.

When I moved to California in 2006, I was amazed at how far the medical cannabis industry went. I began working in cultivation and meeting some inspiring people who shared the same passion for cannabis plants.

Tia : How did you start your brand? Tell us your origin story!

Robert : We started making cannabis-infused popcorn at our farm in El Dorado County from 2015-2016. I would infuse different cooking oils with cannabis trim and smalls, and one of the favorite things to make was popcorn. I saw the potential the edibles market had from seeing Colorado go legal and started working on creating Pop-Up Potcorn.

We officially launched in late 2017 and have been making delicious popcorn ever since.

Tia : Why have you decided to go with popcorn? It is something unique on the cannabis market, I would say :)

Robert : It was something that I like as a snack, and it was always a favorite amongst friends and family for movie nights or at gatherings. I knew the traditional edible segments like gummies and cookies would have a lot of competition and saw that savory snacks were relatively open, so we decided to go that route. Still, we just love popcorn, and so it was fun for us to make.

Tia : Can you specify how you make it?

Robert : With really great ingredients and a lot of love.

Tia : What’s the expiration date for your popcorn?

Robert : One year from the manufacturing/packaging date.

Tia : Talking about sustainability at the company, do you follow any steps to be a sustainable company?

Robert : We work hard at sourcing sustainable ingredients with organic certifications from vendors with a good track record. Our next challenge is to find more sustainable packaging that meets the child-resistant standards needed for cannabis.

Tia : What’s your best-selling product, and why do you think it is so?

Robert : Our best-selling product is the ready-to-eat movie theater butter popcorn. I think it’s a classic that everyone loves and has been an excellent alternative to going to the movies this past year with covid.

Tia : What’s your consumption routine? What are the top three products that you’re using?

Robert : I’ve gone from consuming throughout the day to mainly consuming in the evening to wind down my day. I’ll usually eat some popcorn, roll a joint, or smoke a little hash.

Tia : Your top strains to smoke? Why?

Robert : Sour Diesel: Flavor, aroma, and intense creative high.

GMO: Flavor, aroma. Great for concentration. It helps me wind down and sleep.

Tia : If you could smoke with anyone in this world, who would that be and why?

Robert : [tooltip title="David Khari Webber Chappelle" content="US stand-up comedian, actor, writer and producer."]Dave Chappelle[/tooltip], I love comedy, and I can imagine it would be a lot of laughs to get high with Dave.

Tia : Are there any cannabis brands in your state you appreciate and follow? Name them.

Robert : I appreciate the ones that cultivate and manufacture their products. It takes so much passion for pulling that off, and you have to love what you do. So props to all of them.

You can follow Pop Up Potcorn at:

Twitter

Instagram

Thank you so much, Pop Up Potcorn team, for taking the time to do the interview. To learn more about them, head on over to their website.

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