snacks
Where to get your…
?
Taylor Ham
POPCORN
International Popcorn sells all the wacky flavors
P
WRITTEN BY REBECCA KING | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MITSU YASUKAWA
erhaps you’ve heard of
Chicago Mix – that sweet
and savory combination
of caramel and cheese
popcorn. But have you
heard of Jersey Mix?
It’s made by International
Popcorn, a Totowa business owned
by Tom and Laura Mullich, who also
live in Totowa. Tom says that he was
inspired by the Chicago Mix when
creating his localized version.
If Chicago could have a signature
popcorn, why couldn’t New Jersey?
The result is a smoky, cheddar-
cheese-covered popcorn that has
dried Taylor ham (what else?) added
in tiny flecks to create that salty,
porky flavor New Jerseyans pride
themselves on.
International Popcorn is known
for its more than 100 different,
wild popcorn flavors, such as uni-
corn, which mixes pink, blue and
white candy-coated popcorn with a
cotton candy flavor; Mediterranean,
with garlic and oregano; PB delight,
caramel popcorn that is rolled in
peanut butter, chocolate, pretzels,
powdered sugar and Chex mix; a
grape flavored popcorn that’s popular
in the summer time; dill pickle; hot
dog; and many more.
The popcorn itself is air popped,
using no oil to heat the kernels, mak-
ing it healthier. If oil is needed for
a certain recipe, the Mullichs use
pure coconut oil. To create a fruit
flavor, they use fruit extract. To cre-
ate cheese popcorn, they use the real
thing: cheese. Tom said the caramel
corn, which is their signature flavor,
is a real point of pride for him.
“We use real butter, real molasses
and real ingredients in our caramel.
That’s what makes us stand out,” he
says.
International Popcorn products
can be found in local Christmas
Tree Shops and in ShopRite in Perth
Amboy, Edison and Elizabeth. Or, you
can head to the retail store attached to
the popcorn factory. • 490 Riverview
Drive No. 2b, Totowa;
INTERNATIONAL POPCORN FAVORITES
TOM’S CHOICE:
Spicy Buffalo Wings
40
MAY 2019 WAYNE MAGAZINE
SAVORY FLAVOR:
Everything Bagel
SWEET FLAVOR:
Caramel Stripes
MOST ITALIAN
Almond Cookie
MOST JERSEY:
Taylor Ham and Cheese
(The Jersey Mix)