"It was the most surreal thing, because I never thought that in a couple of years of being in business, being an emerging food brand, that we would have an opportunity get a collab of this profile," says Charlene Li, one of the masterminds behind EATABLE popcorn. "But I think it just goes to show that when people taste something that's really different and really unique, they like it."
Her different and unique popcorn, of course, is a range close to her own heart, that combines two things she loves: alcohol and snacks. And, while it won the hearts of many liquor brands and snack connoisseurs, that surreal moment isn't just any casual business victory: EATABLE popcorn will be the first Canadian brand featured at the Oscars, with this year's ceremony taking place on March 12.
EATABLE's journey begins in Li's kitchen, as she and her husband, Vince, experimented with popcorn flavours to watch movies and snack on. It became a full-fledged idea to share soon afterwards, when the pair went shopping for a housewarming gift, only to be disappointed with the selection they found. So, they returned home, and began popping and combining whiskey, caramel and the kernels, opting to bring a house-made gift that instantly wowed both their friends and party guests.
It felt like a labour of love for so many reasons. Firstly, because Charlene and Vince bonded at a George Brown wine and cheese pairing class, and because they got to combine two of their loves--good food and good drinks--to create a unique product. So, it only felt natural to name the company with a similar sense of comfort and love. "EATABLE actually was born out of our own kitchen table, too. So during the time we were dating, Vince would come to my parents' house a lot. And my mom and just had these gorgeous home-cooked meals. And in her Chinese Canadian accent, she would always ask us: is this eatable?" Li says. "So, in our family, eatable became a term synonymous with like good food and good company, because all of my fondest memories started around the kitchen table."
Launching in the pandemic actually benefitted EATABLE, Li says. The pair launched their product in a time when everyone was online shopping, and popcorn is, naturally, conducive to ordering from a website. Being able to market the popcorn--which now comes in four different flavours--as a fun way to spice up nights at home, helped the business, and EATABLE grew in a time when many other businesses were suffering. One of their friends, a chef, was furloughed, and Charlene and Vince were able to hire him to perfect the popcorn recipes. The result is what's available today: popcorn infused with scotch, sangria, rosé, añejo and other liquors, as well as collaborations with Bacardi, La Marca and more.
The Oscars collaboration expands on the Pop The Champagne flavour, which is a wine-infused, white chocolate popcorn with crystals that literally pop in your mouth. For the Academy Awards, EATABLE added edible flakes of 24-karat gold into the mix.
What's more, in a saturated popcorn and snack scene, EATABLE is conscious in more than one way. "Our popcorn is actually created with all-natural ingredients, nothing artificial at all, and all ingredients that you can pronounce. And it's inspired by the flavours of wine, cocktails and spirits," Li says. It was important to Charlene and Vince to be sustainable and community-oriented with the brand, too.
"Our community has always been at the heart of everything that we do. We're one of the few snack companies right now in the industry that prides itself on being plastic-neutral. So through our collaboration with a company called Repurpose Global, we have a sustainability pledge that says, for every bag purchased, we remove one from the environment. And ever since our inception, we've also had a very close partnership with Second Harvest Canada. So a portion of all of our online sales gets donated to Second Harvest. And that just ensures that we're eating good and doing good in the community as well."
