Amid Pandemic, Microwave Popcorn Sales Shot Up In Europe

To say that the Coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives would be an understatement. The past two years have transformed nearly every aspect of our world. There have been dramatic shifts in our living, jobs, and most of all our eating habits. When it comes to food, a lot of us have been indulging in comfort foods. To most of us, comfort foods provide consolation or a feeling of happiness. There are tons of such foods that cheer us up during these difficult times. Among many, microwave popcorn has emerged as the most liked comfort food during the pandemic. These require little effort to prepare and leave no mess behind. Thus, there are many reasons for people to get hooked on microwave popcorn. That’s what happened in Europe, where the sale of microwave popcorn has witnessed a remarkable surge. 

Microwave Popcorn Sales Surge in Europe

In most European countries, cinemas are either closed or operating in a limited capacity. This has a direct impact on the sale of popcorn in theatres. However, at the same time, the sale of microwave popcorn increased during the pandemic.

Natais is one of Europe’s biggest popcorn producers based in France and accounts for 40% of popcorn sales in all of Europe. The current CEO of Natais, Micheal Ehmann, witnessed a rare spike in the sales of microwave popcorn in Europe. “The health crisis has had negative consequences for our network of suppliers to cinemas, but also positive consequences because sales of microwavable popcorn have risen sharply,” Ehmann said in an interview.  

According to sales director Helene Ricau, “The market was already expanding in Europe, but with the health crisis, microwavable popcorn has exploded”. She further added, “During the lockdowns, people discovered popcorn as a sort of comfort food in these gloomy times.” Natais sold more than 200 million bags of popcorn in Europe in 2020 and 207 million in 2021. “We’re targeting annual growth rates of 4.0-5.0 percent in the coming years. Unlike in the US, the market has not yet reached maturity in Europe,” Ricau said.

Thus, microwave popcorn is a popular snack that really fills you up. These are easy to make and come in different flavors. And if you’re watching a movie at home, having popcorns by your side gives you the theatre vibe.

What are your thoughts on this new microwave popcorn trend? Let us know in the comments below.