Hasta La Ideas

A tasty new snack with a side of wit

It’s no secret that we’re obsessive fans of unique and flavorful snack foods, especially modern updates to familiar classics. Bringing together bold favors, clever packaging and just the right dose or irreverence, Crave Canyon popcorn hits all those requisites as a relatively new addition to the snack scene.

The Arizona-based brand recently debuted five all-natural, globally-inspired flavors bearing witty, long-form names including To Be Eaten Gingerly, Wasabi-San (wasabi and ginger kettlecorn), Bit O’ Land & Sea (cane juice and sea salt kettlecorn), and Tomato, Tomato Pomodoro (sundried tomato and asiago cheese).

Riffing on the popularity of anise in British cooking, the spice’s addition to an otherwise basic sea salt and cane juice kettlecorn gives a surprisingly warm backbone to From Olde England With a Kiss—our personal favorite—while Hatch Has Met Its Match, nods to the company’s southwestern origins with a wave of fresh heat that’s tempered by rich and creamy white cheddar. Ironically, we found ourselves stuffing more of the stuff into our burning mouths for the cheese’s soothing balance.

Not that looming New Year’s resolutions need to be motivators for scooping up handfuls of this addictive snack, Crave Canyon does stand in as a healthier alternative to the abundance of holiday cookies and candies ubiquitous this time of year (as seen on its front packaging, which follows the FDA’s newest food labeling guidelines). Currently available in 4.25-ounce bags, the company plans to roll out single serving portions in the near future.

Crave Canyon popcorn is available for $3.49 at Whole Foods and other food stores, listed here.