Weaver Popcorn Company in Indiana: History, What It Grows, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Weaver Popcorn Company is a family-controlled Indiana popcorn business founded in 1928 by Rev. Ira Weaver. It develops, grows, processes, packages and ships popcorn, and in a state that the 2022 Census of Agriculture ranks first nationally for popcorn it stands out as a global-scale brand built on local growers.
| Location | Indiana; sources cite both Whitestown and Van Buren as company locations |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1928, by Ira E. Weaver |
| Sectors | popcorn growing, processing and packaging; popcorn seed hybrids; fundraising and concession products |
| Scale | The company says it produces over 30 percent of the world's popcorn (as quoted in Edible Indy) |
| Why it is elite | One of the largest popcorn companies in the United States, in the state ranked No. 1 for popcorn by the 2022 Census |
| Ownership | Weaver family |
| Official website | Pop Weaver official site |
History of Weaver Popcorn Company
The company began in 1928 when Rev. Ira Weaver started selling popped corn, reportedly delivering it by horse-drawn carriage. Over nearly a century it grew from that local start into a national and international supplier to store chains, concessionaires and distributors, while remaining controlled by the Weaver family.
Its profile in Indiana grew with its brands. Pop Weaver microwave popcorn and Weaver Gold concession products reached grocery shelves and theaters, and Trail's End popcorn became the fundraiser sold by Scouting America units. The company also sponsored the Indiana State Fair's Year of Popcorn in 2013 and is the official sponsor of the fair's Youth Pavilion, according to Edible Indy.
What Weaver Popcorn Company Grows and Raises
Indiana is a natural home for the business. The state is a leading popcorn producer, and Weaver works with growers to produce the crop, then processes and packages it for retail, concession and foodservice customers. Weaver Popcorn Hybrids, a separate family company, supplies popcorn seed.
The product line spans microwave bags, ready-to-eat pre-popped flavors, kernels for concession stands and the scouting fundraising line. Wikipedia notes that Pop Weaver microwave products are now made by Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing, reflecting a split of manufacturing and seed work into related family companies.
How Weaver Popcorn Company Makes Money
Branded retail popcorn
Pop Weaver packaged and microwave products are sold through retail channels, giving the company a consumer brand on top of commodity grain.
Concession and foodservice supply
The company sells to concessionaires, store chains and distributors, including Weaver Gold concession products. Volume buyers such as theaters and venues value consistent popping performance.
Fundraising and seed
Trail's End gives scouting units a product to sell, and Weaver Popcorn Hybrids sells seed. A fundraising channel and a seed business each reach customers that retail shelves do not.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Weaver Popcorn Company
Control of genetics and the brand is the central lesson. By keeping hybrids, growing, processing and packaging within one family of companies, Weaver can steer quality from seed to bag. Specialty crop growers can look for contracts or partnerships that link them to a branded end product.
Diversified channels are the second lesson. Retail, concession, fundraising and export sales do not rise and fall together. Operators of any size can test a second channel, such as a school or club program, before assuming the grocery shelf is the only route to market.
Few crops get cheered at a movie theater, but popcorn does, and Indiana grows a lot of it. At farm.FM our farm satire writers swear that the best farm humor is the quiet moment before the pop. The ranch humor crowd wonders if kernels have butterfly knees, and the farm jokes keep coming until the bag is empty. Weaver's founder started with a horse-drawn carriage, which is a better delivery story than most of us have.
Part newsroom, part radio dial, farm.FM bills itself as America's first satirical farm site and plays Tractor Tunes, its country music for farmers. Browse a farm.FM writer's back catalog to see the style.
How to Contact Weaver Popcorn Company
Website: https://popweaver.com/
Use the contact options published on the operation's own website or the listed public page; confirm details before visiting or ordering. Weaver Popcorn Hybrids is listed separately at its own site.
Weaver Popcorn Company Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Pop Weaver official site - Company brand and product information
- Edible Indy on Indiana popcorn - Weaver, Redenbacher and the state's popcorn industry
- Weaver Popcorn Company overview - Founder, brands and family ownership
- Indiana State Department of Agriculture programs - State programs including Indiana Grown, Clean Water Indiana and the Indiana Dairy Strategy
- USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture, Indiana - State-level Census of Agriculture tables for Indiana
Weaver Popcorn Company FAQ
Who founded Weaver Popcorn Company?
Rev. Ira E. Weaver founded it in 1928, and the Weaver family still owns the company.
What brands does Weaver sell?
Pop Weaver microwave popcorn, Weaver Gold concession products and the Trail's End fundraising line sold through Scouting America, plus Weaver Popcorn Hybrids seed.
Where is Weaver Popcorn based?
In Indiana; Edible Indy cites Whitestown and Wikipedia cites Van Buren, so confirm the right office with the company.
Where does Indiana rank in popcorn?
A summary of the 2022 Census of Agriculture ranks Indiana No. 1 nationally for popcorn.
Weaver Popcorn Company shows how a seed-to-bag family business can turn one Indiana crop into a national brand. For the wider picture, read the Indiana farms guide and the other profiled operations.