Keizertimes., April 16, 2021, Page 14, Image 14

PAGE A14, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 16, 2021
2-decade-old popcorn biz makes fresh start
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
We’ve had
neighborhood people
walk from two or
three blocks over,
just by following
the smell.
J
er ry Crane, owner of Suzy Q Kettle
Corn, measures popcorn in terms of
how many bags it takes a customer to get
someone through a movie.
“Our 10 ounce bag should get you
through a movie,” said Crane.
The limited-edition, jumbo-sized bags
reserved for special events will get two
families through a single movie. The num-
ber varies depending on the appetites of
those involved.
Crane recently purchased Suzy Q pop-
corn from its former owner in Bend and
moved the production to a warehouse
space on Candlewood Avenue in Keizer.
It’s not hard to fi nd, just follow your nose.
“We’ve had neighborhood people walk
from two or three blocks over, just by fol-
lowing the smell, and knock on the door
to ask if they could buy some,” Crane said.
The scent is powerful, but it’s not nearly
as overwhelming as it can be when mixed
in with other traditional fair and carnival
food. He would prefer that customers pick
up a bag from one of the skyrocketing
number of retailers who are putting the
product on their shelves. Roth’s IGA stores
are one option. Cost ranges between $4
and $5 depending on the retailer.
Crane had his eye on the business 15
years ago, but the opportunity to purchase
it came along at a perfect time.
Crane also owns That Guy Catering,
but business cratered with the onset of the
pandemic.
“We lost about 90% percent of our reve-
nue. It was especially tough because we’d
been growing up to that point,” he said.
Crane was no stranger to confectionery
— JERRY CRANE
Owner, SUZY Q KETTLE CORN
Jerry Crane III tends an industrial-strength popcorn kettle while
David Maldanado makes quick work of the bagging process Suzy Q
Kettle Corn in southeast Keizer. ERIC A. HOWALD of Keizertimes
cuisine, he’d managed concession sales
at Volcanoes Stadium for many years.
Transitioning to the popcorn business was
relatively easy, in no small part thanks to
Crane’s son, Jerry Crane III. The younger
Jerry, Crane’s eldest of fi ve kids, had
worked alongside his dad for a while and
even set new records in an entrepreneur-
ship contest as a senior in high school at
Williamette Valley Christian School – sell-
ing kettle corn. His son is one of the main
cooks and a driving force behind develop-
ing new fl avors. A snickerdoodle popcorn
is in the offi ng but there are several others
that sound equally mouthwatering.
What Crane didn’t expect was how
the business would grow after the move.
Before January, the previous owner was
making about 1,000 bags of popcorn a
week. They are now making 2,000 bags a
BUSINESS
AND
week and growing from four employees to
eight.
“It’s exciting because we’ve seen the
business double in three months, but it’s
also been great to have people call us
and ask how to get our product into their
stores,” he said.
Taste is important, but Crane
lauded another of his employees, David
Maldanado, for fi ne-tuning the bagging
process.
“He’s gotten it down to where the bags
will stand up on the shelves and small
things like that make a diff erence in our
presentation,” Crane said.
Aside from premium ingredients and
bagging tricks, fresh delivery is one of the
keys to the business’s success. Another
of Crane’s sons, Jude, helps with deliv-
ery to retailers. Crane said employees are
Services
logging about 1,500 miles a week to meet
the growing demand. Suzy Q will also ship
anywhere in the country.
By getting products on the shelves
in exactly the right numbers at the right
times, it stays fresher than more mass-pro-
duced competitors.
“It also means there’s no preservatives
that change the taste,” Crane said.
The explosive growth and opportunity
for family as well as long-time employ-
ees to participate in the success are high
points for Crane, but when it comes to
reviews, there’s one individual who he
holds above all others: the original Suzy Q.
“It’s great because you know she’s
watching us and, every once in a while, she
calls me and lets me know we’re doing a
great job,” Crane said, punctuating it with
a fi st pump.
D I R E C T O R Y
P RODUCTS
You Haul or We Deliver
Prompt Service
Open Saturday Until Noon
Phone Quotes
8425 Windsor Island Rd N, Keizer