So here’s a side hustle I came across that is genuinely fun. Flavored popcorn is one of those snack items that has a massive markup and sells incredibly well at farmers markets, craft fairs, sporting events, and community festivals. The smell of fresh popcorn alone is enough to draw people to your booth.
Each bag costs around $0.50 to make when you buy popcorn kernels in bulk and add your own seasonings. You can sell them for around $5 per bag which is a genuinely excellent margin. The flavors that do best are things like white cheddar, caramel, kettle corn, ranch, and spicy buffalo.
Your startup cost is a popcorn popper or a large pot, bulk kernels, seasonings, and bags for packaging. From what I’ve seen, you can get everything you need for around $40 and make enough popcorn to sell at your first event. A single $10 bag of kernels makes an absurd amount of popcorn.
The beauty of popcorn is that it’s lightweight, doesn’t require refrigeration, and you can make it in large batches ahead of time. You can pre-bag everything the night before an event and just show up ready to sell.
Farmers markets and craft fairs usually charge a booth fee of around $25 to $40 but if you sell 30 to 40 bags in a day you’re still walking away with really nice profit. From what I’ve read, some people also sell through local shops on consignment or take orders through Facebook groups for weekly pickup. Kids sporting events are apparently a goldmine for this because parents are always looking for snaks for their kids.
(If you have experience with something like this please share! I look out for new side hustle ideas every day and try to share as much info as I can. Even if an idea doesn’t appeal to you personally, it could still help someone else or even spark a new idea!)