You would think that Popsmith co-founders Tal Moore and Dave Strickland would be ecstatic as the holiday shopping season formally kicks off. After all, their young company’s product — a stainless-steel stovetop popcorn maker called the Popsmith Popper — was featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things 2024 list.

But — in a classic case of good problems to have — the resulting publicity has created an inventory shortage. Consumers can back-order the Popper, but it won’t arrive in time for the holidays. (As of Black Friday, one could still be purchased on Amazon).

“Oprah’s involvement in our success in year one is a staggering parting of the clouds in a way that will fundamentally change my life,” says Strickland, who like Moore has spent two decades in the popcorn industry. “It has opened a door in a way that is going to allow us to experience growth that we would not have otherwise.”

Sales were increasing even prior to the Oprah announcement. Williams-Sonoma began carrying the Popper online several months ago, with plans to eventually sell in stores. Costco also just signed on.

Moore and Strickland officially founded Seattle-based Popsmith in January 2021, but didn’t begin selling until the past year. Moore, a serial entrepreneur, previously founded e-commerce store Gumballs.com (selling machines and gumballs) before launching a company that sold popcorn and large cabinet-type popcorn machines typically seen in movie theaters. Strickland joined him about 13 years ago.

The pair ran several successful e-commerce businesses together, including one selling moisture wipes and another peddling chocolate, but their popcorn company — Franklin’s Popcorn — remained their true passion. About five years ago the pair shed their other brands and focused on creating a sleek stovetop popper that could create “movie-theater popcorn.”

“We weren’t really passionate about any of the other brands,” Moore says. “Popcorn is something that we’re personally passionate about. It’s consumable. It’s something that brings people a lot of joy.”

The pair say the Popper, with its sleek design and old-fashioned crank, creates a popcorn “experience.” It comes with pre-measured kits that include popping corn, seasoning and coconut oil. 

Getting Winfrey’s attention wasn’t easy. Popsmith’s press strategist, Priscilla Vega, noticed that one of Winfrey’s junior editors described herself as a popcorn lover on her LinkedIn profile. Moore reached out, and that editor asked for a Popper. Even then, he says, they knew their odds were long.

“Two weeks go by and then she messages me again,” Moore recalls. She wanted another Popper. She asked for another two weeks after that, telling him that the Popper was a finalist for the list, which Winfrey compiles herself from about 15,000 submissions.

“No more burnt kernels? Not a single one when we tested this stovetop popper with an ingenious spinning mechanism,” the listing reads. “You can add butter (or other flavors) and have a fresh batch in under five minutes. Which is great, because movie night is a big night at my house.”

Moore calls the inclusion “incredibly validating. I mean, it really fundamentally changes the trajectory of the company.”