Preferred Popcorn Expands by Leasing Space in the SWB Industrial Park

Preferred Popcorn, one of Nebraska’s leading manufacturers, is expanding into York County, Nebraska. They are leasing space in the newly refurbished SWB Industrial Park in Waco. The 122,745 square foot building sits on 11.64 acres off of Highway 34 just north of I-80 near York and less than an hour from their Chapman headquarters. Preferred Popcorn is leasing two of the Industrial Park’s three warehouse spaces. They will be renovating the space to create multiple production lines for various flavors of ready-to-eat popcorn. Sam Krug, General Manager “We believe deeply in the people of rural Nebraska. Twenty years ago, Preferred Popcorn was founded by central Nebraska farmers who hired their friends and neighbors to build a business that would honor God, provide a high quality product, and serve customers with integrity. The plan worked, and we look forward to continuing that mission as we launch into the ready-to-eat snack business.”

“We welcome Preferred Popcorn to York County. York Development Corporation (YCDC) has been pleased to work with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to obtain incentives to help with their tenant improvements. Preferred Popcorn’s expansion is being aided by  $175,000 in matching grant funds received from the Nebraska Site and Building Development Fund, with YCDC administering the grant. YCDC will also be providing $5,000 in seed funding to this project” said Lisa Hurley, Executive Director of York Development Corporation. 

“None of this would have been possible without the Case family (SWB Llc) investing in the SWB Industrial Park. They had a vision for turning a vacant, underutilized former manufacturing facility, into an industrial park that could support the growth of several manufacturing and distribution companies. They chose to invest in rural Nebraska without a tenant or guaranteed ROI. We are grateful for their vision and the role they have played in bringing jobs to York County,” said Hurley. “Projects like this come together only with community support. The Village of Waco assisted SWB LLC by upgrading their water line to support the fire sprinkler system, and by working through infrastructure needs as the project progressed. This investment allowed SWB to bring the warehouses to code.”

About Preferred Popcorn

Preferred Popcorn is a farmer-owned and operated popcorn company headquartered in Chapman, Nebraska. The company is a collaboration of nearly 100 growers across the Midwest and raises more than a dozen varieties of conventional and organic popcorn. Preferred now ships to 70 countries around the world, and supplies the majority of U.S. movie theaters with their high expansion popcorn kernels.  Their expansion into York County allows them to be close to their headquarters while expanding their production capacities into ready-to-eat popcorn. 

According to the company website, “We are still led by highly experienced farmers who spend much of their days in their fields overseeing the growth and integrity of the product we send around the world.” 

Join Preferred Popcorn in York County

If you are interested in joining the team, please contact Christi Krug, HR Director. 308-986-2526 or christi@preferredpopcorn.com 

About SWB Industrial Park

Office and manufacturing space is available to be finished out in the SWB Industrial Park. The building is a 122,745 SF metal industrial facility on 11.64 acres of land, with 7 acres remaining for development. Preferred Popcorn is now the second company in the complex. 

Contact us to learn more about the opportunities to grow your business in York County and for more information on leasing space in the SWB Industrial Park or other options in the County. 

Lisa R. Hurley - Executive Director
York County Development Corporation
601 N Lincoln Avenue
York, NE 68467
402-362-3333
www.yorkdevco.com
lhurley@yorkdevco.com

About York County Development Corporation

York County Development Corporation (YCDC) is a public-private not-for-profit organization with a mission to promote and encourage quality economic growth in York County, Nebraska. YCDC is the lead economic development organization in York County, and utilizes a team approach to ensure access to all agencies and programs that can be of assistance to your project. For more information on YCDC, please visit https://www.yorkdevco.com.