Woodbridge, Va. — If you’re looking for a tasty snack while shopping at the Potomac Mills mall in Woodbridge then look out for the bright yellow Doc Popcorn shop in the food court.
Doc Popcorn, created in 2003 in Boulder, Colorado, is all about the all-natural and healthy popcorn snack, with many innovative flavors and a family friendly franchise atmosphere. This is the first Doc Popcorn location in the Potomac Communities, and is the first of three that Tong Zheng, the franchise owner, plans to open in Northern Virginia.
Tong Zheng, of Manassas, started his career in the food industry in high school, helping to run his parents restaurant. While Zheng loved the food business, he wanted to branch out and move into a franchise that would allow him more time to spend with his two children, who are both students in Manassas public schools. To find the right franchise, Zheng reached out to business consultants, and found Doc Popcorn.
“I think what we try to offer is product that is all-natural, to be healthy with the product, recycle materials and we all try to make the customer’s smile, which is the most important,” said Zheng.
These tasty and moderately priced popcorn treats come in a variety of flavors, all of which are made with whole grain kernels, made in 100 percent corn oil. Zheng’s personal favorite is the Triple White Cheddar flavor.
The Hoppin’ Jalapeno flavor is a subtle kick, but just enough that it gives you the savory and spicy flavor –perfect for those that love spicy food. The Triple White Cheddar hits the notes of cheddar cheese dead on, but is light and melts in your mouth.
The Cheesy Cheddar is a more cheese based flavor than its triple cheddar counterpart, and has a taste reminiscent to Smartfood popcorn. The Better Butter flavor is a great alternative to movie theater popcorn, without the heavy butter flavoring.
The Sinfully Cinnamon, like the name implies, is chock full of cinnamon and was one of my favorites that reminds me of the holidays. The Caramel Kettle flavor is very bold, and is a great treat for someone with a serious sweet tooth. The Klassic Kettle is very similar to kettle corn, but with sweeter undertones and by far, my favorite flavor was the Sweet Butter Flavor. This flavor is the sweetest of the bunch, and is a step up from the Klassic Kettle in terms of sweetness.
The cost of the popcorn typically ranges from $4-$6, and the Doc Popcorn location is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
