From a Six-Year-Old’s Hobby to 10 Million Pounds of Popcorn a Year
Amish Country Popcorn didn’t start with a business plan, a national launch, or a long product list. It began in 1965 with a small plot of popcorn in Berne, Indiana, planted by Roy Lehman for his six-year-old son, Brian.
Brian started by growing popcorn for family and friends. By sixth grade, he was carrying popcorn to school for one of his most loyal customers: his teacher. What started as a childhood hobby kept growing, one crop and one customer at a time.
Today, Amish Country Popcorn harvests roughly 10 million pounds of popcorn each year and sells it worldwide. A lot has changed since 1965, but the things that matter most have not.
Where It All Started
After high school, Brian stayed on the family farm and continued growing and selling popcorn. He eventually purchased the farm and the surrounding property, building the business that became Amish Country Popcorn.
The growth did not happen overnight. It came from learning the crop, caring for customers, and consistently producing popcorn people wanted to buy again. As demand grew, so did the farm, the selection, and the number of families enjoying the popcorn.
Most of Our Popcorn Is Still Grown Here
We still grow most Amish Country popcorn on our farm in Indiana. We also work with local farmers who follow our growing and quality standards.
After harvest, we clean and process the popcorn on the farm. We sort it by size, shape, weight, and color so each variety delivers the texture, flavor, and popping characteristics our customers expect.
That hands-on approach takes more work, but it gives us greater control over the finished product. We know where the popcorn comes from, how it was grown, and how it was handled before it reaches your kitchen.
More Varieties Without Losing Our Standards
What began with one small plot has grown into a wide selection of popcorn varieties, from classic yellow and white kernels to colorful and hulless options.
Different kernels do not just look different. They can vary in size, texture, tenderness, flavor, and the way they pop. That variety is part of what makes popcorn fun, and it gives every customer a chance to find a favorite.
Even as our selection has grown, our standards have remained straightforward. Our popcorn is non-GMO and preservative-free. We use natural farming practices whenever possible, including regular crop rotation and careful ground preparation.
Butterfly or Mushroom: Finding the Right Kernel
One of the first things people notice when they try more than one of our varieties is that not all popcorn pops the same way. Most kernels pop into a butterfly shape, with light, irregular “wings” sticking out in every direction. Those wings catch butter and salt, which is why butterfly popcorn is the classic choice for movie nights.
Mushroom popcorn is different. As the moisture inside the kernel turns to steam, the hull stays intact, and the kernel expands out of one side into a round, mushroom-like ball. The result is larger and crunchier than our other varieties, and that round surface gives coatings more to hold on to. That makes mushroom popcorn a favorite for caramel corn and for pairing with our glazes. For the best shape, pop it at a higher temperature than you would other kernels.
Within those two shapes, there is plenty of room to explore. Our Ladyfinger Hulless is the smallest variety we offer and one of our bestsellers. Baby White is small, crispy, and very white. Medium White Hulless is another longtime top seller. And our Red Popcorn gets its ruby color naturally from anthocyanins, then pops up white and fluffy with a slightly sweeter, nuttier flavor than classic yellow or white.
Popped the Old-Fashioned Way
We sell our popcorn in kernel form for a simple reason: we believe popcorn deserves to be prepared the old-fashioned way, hand-popped at home. The sound of kernels popping on the stovetop and the smell that fills the kitchen are something a pre-popped bag can’t match.
Popping it yourself also lets you control the taste. Some people keep it simple with a little salt. Others like to experiment. That is why we also offer seasonings, oils, and glazes, so whether you like your snack sweet, salty, or spicy, you can make a bowl your own.
It is also a small way of keeping a tradition alive. The same kernels that started as a childhood project on our farm end up in kitchens where families gather, kids help shake the pan, and recipes get passed down.
Still a Family Effort
Amish Country Popcorn has grown well beyond the small plot Roy planted in 1965, but it is still a family story.
The next generation helps carry the business forward. Sometimes that work is planning for the next growing season. Sometimes it is Brian and a group of grandkids pulling weeds in the middle of a cornfield.
That may not be the fastest way to grow popcorn, but it says a lot about how we approach the business. We stay close to the farm, the product, and the people who enjoy it.
Our Promise to You
We stand behind every bag and bottle we sell. If you are not 100% satisfied with something you bought from us, contact us within 90 days, and we will send you a free replacement or issue a full refund.
That promise only works because of the decisions we make long before an order ships. We have never grown genetically modified popcorn, and we never add preservatives. Our popcorn comes from small farms in Indiana, starting with our own. Those choices aren’t always the easiest or cheapest, but they’re why we can make that guarantee with confidence.
The Same Purpose Today
For more than 60 years, Amish Country Popcorn has grown by staying focused on the same basic goal: grow the best popcorn we can and treat people well along the way.
We are proud of how far that first small plot has taken us. We are even more grateful that families around the world now make our popcorn part of movie nights, holidays, gift sets, and everyday traditions.
From our family in Berne, Indiana, thank you for making Amish Country Popcorn part of yours.
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