Photo courtesy of Cactus Corn
Most corporate gifts end up in a drawer. A logo mug, a fleece vest, a box of chocolates from three states away. The sender meant well. The recipient forgot by Friday.
Popcorn works differently. Open a tin in a break room and people wander over, grab a handful and start talking. The gift gets shared, and the company that sent it becomes part of the conversation. That is the whole job of a gift.
Cactus Corn has been popping small batches in Phoenix since 1998 and at every Diamondbacks home game since Chase Field opened. Somewhere along the way, we learned that the best gifts say where they came from. Prickly Pear Kettle, Roasted Street Corn and White Cheddar Jalapeño are flavors people cannot find outside the Sonoran Desert, which matters when the client sits in Chicago or Charlotte. Tins can carry a company logo in runs as small as 12, or an Arizona landmark like Horseshoe Bend. Everything is gluten free and popped, packed and labeled in Phoenix.
The logistics are the boring part, so we keep them simple. Orders ship to one address or straight to each recipient’s desk. Holiday orders placed by November 1 lock in delivery dates before the rush.
Employee appreciation, client thank-yous, event welcome bags, holiday gifts. A tin of popcorn does not need explaining. It just needs opening.
Chris Levandowski is founder and CEO of Cactus Corn, a family-owned craft popcorn company in Phoenix.
