Two national chains are teaming up to open more co-branded stores across the United States.
Kentucky-based ice-cream-snack chain Dippin’ Dots bought Boulder, Colorado-based gourmet popcorn purveyor Doc Popcorn in 2014. At the time, Doc Popcorn had stores in 30 states, Japan, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Since the acquisition, the combined company has opened five co-branded locations — singular stores or kiosks where Dippin’ Dots and Doc Popcorn are side by side.
Now the two companies want to expand the concept to several more states, including Alabama, Arizona, Maine, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin, and are seeking franchisees.Nationally, about five co-branded locations are in the process of opening within the next three months, and an additional 10 are planned to open by the end of the year, according to Doc Popcorn co-founder Renee Israel.
“We’d have such nice early success with it,” Israel said. “We really would love to do more of those because we feel it’s a very successful business opportunity, particularly for these malls, convention centers and stadiums.”