If we’re being honest, the best part about a trip to the local movie theater is often the popcorn. Given the shakeup that COVID-19 has caused both in Hollywood and to the cineplexes that rely on regular cinematic output, theaters are having to come up with new and innovative ways to keep the cashflow moving in the right direction. For AMC Entertainment, the answer was right under their noses—and covered in a fake “butter-like” coating.
On Thursday, Deadline reported that AMC is officially getting into the popcorn business. Or, as they put it in their official statement on the matter: The company is “expanding its business outside of the traditional theatrical exhibition industry with plans to capture a piece of the growing multi-billion dollar popcorn market.”
Dubbed AMC Theatres Perfectly Popcorn, the buttery treat will be available in “To Go” packages at theaters, which can be ordered for takeout or pickup. They’ll also be available via food delivery services and at shopping mall kiosks across the country. The company is also aiming to launch a microwaveable popcorn in late 2022, which will be available in grocery and convenience stores.
“The announcement that AMC will become a competitor in the multi-billion popcorn market is so natural and logical, one wonders why the idea has not been tried before,” Adam Aron, AMC’s CEO and chairman of the board, said in a statement. “Needless to say, AMC knows popcorn ever so well. On our busiest days, AMC Theatres currently pops in the range of 50 tons of popcorn per day. But the popularity of popcorn extends well beyond the doors of our movie theatres. With this new AMC initiative, we expect to reach entirely new segments of the U.S. population with our popular AMC Theatres Perfectly Popcorn. For AMC Entertainment, this is an opportunity to diversify our business and to create a new revenue stream for our company, all the while delighting popcorn lovers whether they are in our theatres, are on the go, or find themselves in the comfort of their own homes.”
Movie theater popcorn and we don’t have to put on real pants? Sign us up!
(Via Deadline)