Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Norr.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Sweetzer Gourmet Popcorn is a product of the pandemic and wanting to get back to a sense of normalcy by bringing friends together. For years, my family had a weekly pizza and game night with our closest friends, which of course stopped when the pandemic hit. After not seeing each other for a while, we decided to make our weekly event a pizza and movie night and moved it outside to our driveway, so we invested in a projector, a movie screen, and outdoor heaters. And since movies mean popcorn, we would always pause at the halfway point of the movie in order to microwave a few bags.
Soon after, wanting a different option, I purchased a popcorn popper and used the intermission to make kettle corn. Weeks later, I attempted to recreate the caramel corn that my wife, Suzanne, and I used to love at the ArcLight Cinemas. It did not go well. My first batch was overly chewy and not all that tasty. Not a surprise since I’m a fifth-grade teacher with no culinary experience. But, as someone who works every day to inspire kids to set goals and then work tirelessly to achieve them, I knew I had to try again. And again. And again.
Eventually, magic happened and my caramel corn was delicious! In fact, it was better than any I’d ever tasted. With that, a passion project was born, and I became obsessed with caramelized popcorn and what I could do to bring a unique approach to this classic snack. Pizza and movie night became a testing ground, as did my school, where students and staff were willing taste-testers of all my original creations.
With all the amazing feedback, Suzanne and I decided to take the leap and Sweetzer Gourmet Popcorn became a delicious business!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, considering that I had no idea what I was doing, I’d say it has been a relatively smooth ride. I’m an educator in my 19th year of teaching at West Hollywood Elementary School, and my only experience with popcorn before starting a popcorn company was loving to eat it, but somehow I find myself one year into this with a product that people have universally loved. Along the way, I’ve managed to establish relationships with some fantastic people and companies and have had glimpses on a small scale of the kind of success I know awaits. My popcorn is served in the 5-Star, 5-Diamond hotel, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, as well as the wonderful candy store, Tuesday’s Sweet Shoppe, the gourmet marketplace, Joan’s on Third, and the wine and gift shop, Mel & Rose. I’ve had an amazing partnership for corporate gifts with Doctors on Liens, have worked with the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, and I’ve created custom bags for special events, weddings, birthdays, and holiday parties. Since this all started out as a snack for movie nights, I think it’s really cool that my popcorn is also served at a theatre, the Bantam Cinema & Art Center in Connecticut.
However, at the same time, it has been a struggle because I don’t know what I’m doing, I have a full-time job, and much of the last year has been trial and error. But the thing is, figuring it all out, from ingredients and recipes to packaging, to bag design, to sales channels, and so much more, is what has made it so fun.
I do have one story that wasn’t very funny at the time but is quite humorous to look back on now. It was my second week in business at the Melrose Place Farmers’ Market when the General Manager of L’Ermitage, Scott Berger, tasted my popcorn and asked if I could make a large order for the hotel’s Super Bowl guests the following weekend. Of course, I said yes. What a great opportunity! With the equipment I had at the time, it was a lot to get done in four days, but it could be done. And then I kid you not, within 30 minutes of the order being confirmed, my popcorn popper broke! Machines in my budget couldn’t be delivered in time, while the expensive machines were not really what I needed or could afford. While I scrambled to figure out a way to get popcorn, Suzanne stumbled upon two small air poppers tucked on the top shelf of an aisle at Ralph’s that just happened to be on sale. She then drove all around town looking for more, eventually finding six more. With these eight mini-home machines, we managed to get the popcorn popped and were able to fill the order on time.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While my popcorn adventure began by trying to recreate a favorite local caramel corn, my vision for Sweetzer Gourmet Popcorn is to be known for our unique and delicious flavors. I’m trying to reimagine what popcorn can be, making it so eating it is an experience, with every bite having a “Wow!” factor.
When you look at my menu of flavors, you’ll notice that most are ones you haven’t seen before, like Churro Crunch, Vanilla Butter, Chocolate Jalapeño, Strawberries & Cream, Lemon Coconut, Pineapple Habanero, Herbs de Provence, Everything Bagel White Cheddar, and more. I love working with flavors that historically work together, as well as bringing unexpected pairings together and crafting popcorn that truly tastes gourmet. I do make traditional favorites as well, flavors like Sea Salt Caramel and Jalapeño Cheddar. With these, my philosophy is simple – make sure mine is the best possible version of flavors that are readily available elsewhere.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sweetzergourmet.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sweetzergourmet
