A Popcorn Fundraiser That Actually Sells
Most fundraisers fail the same way: you buy inventory, you beg people to take it, and the leftovers sit in a garage. The fundraiser at Kernels & Kandies is built backwards on purpose — your group sells from an order form first, and we pop exactly what was sold.
How the fundraiser works
1. Your group sells from an order form. Sellers take orders and collect payment up front — flavors and quantities, no door-to-door boxes of inventory.
2. You send us the totals. One consolidated order for the whole group.
3. We pop exactly what was sold. Because everything here is made in small batches anyway, your fundraiser order is popped fresh for distribution day. Nothing sits in a garage for a month.
4. You distribute. Orders come sorted for handout. Call 605-340-0470 for current margin and timeline details for your group.
Why it beats the usual fundraiser
No upfront cost. You're not buying inventory and hoping it sells — you sell first, then order.
No leftovers. We only pop what was ordered. There is no box of unsold product under a table in March.
It sells itself. Popcorn is an easy yes — everybody eats it, the price point is friendly, and the flavors (40-plus, including Chicago Style) are the kind of thing people order two of.
It's local. Supporters like knowing the money stays in the Black Hills — made in Spearfish, not shipped in from a national fundraising warehouse.
Who it works for
School groups, sports teams, bands and choirs, clubs, church and youth groups, and community organizations across the Black Hills. If your group has sellers and a reason to raise money, the model fits.
Timeline depends on your group's size and selling window — call 605-340-0470 with your group, your timeline and roughly how many sellers, and we'll map it out. Looking to feed an event instead of fund one? See the Dino-Saurus trailer or event popcorn.
Fundraising questions
How do we run a popcorn fundraiser with Kernels & Kandies?
Your group sells from an order form and collects payment up front, sends us one consolidated order, and we pop exactly what was sold — fresh for your distribution day. There's no upfront cost and no leftover inventory. Call 605-340-0470 with your group, timeline and rough seller count to get started.
Is there any upfront cost or inventory to manage?
No. It's an order-form fundraiser: you sell first, then order. We only pop what was sold, so there's no upfront cost, no inventory to store, and no unsold product left over at the end.
What flavors can we sell in a fundraiser?
Fundraiser orders draw from our 40+ flavors — the same gourmet popcorn we pop in the shop, including best sellers like Chicago Style, Caramel and Kettle Corn. We'll help you pick a lineup that sells when you call 605-340-0470.
Is the popcorn fresh when we distribute it?
Yes. We pop fundraiser orders in small batches timed to your distribution day, because that's how we make everything. Your supporters get popcorn that was in a kettle days earlier, not product that sat in a warehouse or a garage for a month.
What area do you run fundraisers in?
We're based in Spearfish and work with schools, teams, clubs and community groups across the Black Hills. Call 605-340-0470 and tell us where your group is and what you're raising for — we'll tell you honestly whether the logistics work.