By Emma Brown
Healthier food is making an impact at one of the last frontiers of junk food – the cinema candy bar.
And Superpop managing director Janis Kondarovskis wants to get a message out there: popcorn is healthy.
It may contain between 15 and 22 per cent fat – with oil added for flavour – but it’s also high in fibre: in fact, 9 per cent in its natural state. It also has no added sugar and coconut oil has no cholesterol and no trans-fat.
“It’s not as bad as people make it out to be,” Kondarovskis says.
Superpop supplies nearly ever cinema in Australia and New Zealand with popcorn, including Dendy, Hoyts, Village and Greater Union.
“Our oil comes from plantations that are used to produce other products, not cleared rain forest,” he says.
“Our manufacturers are founding members of Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil and are committed to producing sustainable product.”
While cinemas have tried different popcorn flavours over the years, they have always returned back to the classic savoury salty popcorn.
“In Australia and the United States the popcorn is salty, compared to the sugary flavours that are the norm in the UK and South East Asia.
“Generally speaking, the consumer trends are remarkably consistent and sales get bigger all the time. It’s fun food at the cinema where consumers have the opportunity to have a good night out.”
Each cinema group has its own packaging sizes and, according to Kondarovskis, the big bucket is a popular favourite as people like to share.
The licensees of the Nutty Bavarian have been selling nut roasting equipment in cinemas in Australia and New Zealand since October 2009.
Nutty Bavarian Australia sales director Sarah Findlater says the freshness and non-packaged elements are popular at large venues such as stadiums, theatres and malls.
The nuts are roasting at Reading Cinemas in New Zealand, as well as Event Cinemas and IMAX in Australia.
“There is obviously a huge potential there when you think of popcorn,” she says.
“Nuts are healthy – they are roasted in water rather than oil and the nut oil is a good unsaturated one. It’s definitely healthier and there is a trend of looking for healthier products.”
The nuts come in paper cones which are ideal for the cinema as they are easier to hold.
The family business brought the nut roasting system to Australia after seeing it’s dominance in the United States.