As the founder of J-Rock’s Pop Gourmet Vegan Popcorn, 12-year-old Jayden Hammond of the South Side of Chicago sells organic popcorn made with premium ingredients like organic coconut oil. The business idea was inspired by his desire to live a healthy lifestyle, a life-long love of homemade popcorn and a passion for social entrepreneurship.
“For years my family and I have enjoyed vegan popcorn as our favorite homemade snack, especially on movie nights.” said Hammond. “Since my dad is a health coach and my mom is studying to be an acupuncturist, they have trained me and my sister to make healthy choices. So we like to experiment with our popcorn by using different seasonings and toppings.”