Free Day Popcorn recently celebrated an exciting step forward with a ribbon cutting event for its new location on the edge of town in Byron that features a climate-controlled warehouse and storefront. The celebration highlighted the growth of a locally owned business and the importance of supporting entrepreneurs who invest in our communities. Friends, family, community members and local leaders gathered to celebrate the new location and show their support for the owners as they continue to grow their business.
Pictured front row left to right: Paige Hansen, TCEDA; McKenna Freitag; Nate Freitag, owner; Jordan Freitag; Riley Freitag, Stacey Freitag, owner; Brooke Freitag; Carley Bruning, TCEDA; Back row left to right – Gary Rolf, Nebraska’s Best Kettle Corn; Cammie Kroll, GROW Nebraska; Holle Evert, Nebraska Department of Agriculture; Rulon Taylor, UNL Extension; Kelly Geweke, Nebraska Department of Economic Development; Lonnie and Jan Freitag
What began as a simple idea has grown into a thriving Nebraska business built on family farming, and commitment to freshness. In 2015, Nate and Stacey Freitag founded Free Day Popcorn Company with the goal of providing the freshest popcorn possible.
Free Day Popcorn is grown along the Kansas-Nebraska border on farmland that has been in Nate’s family for generations. After tasting popcorn fresh from the field, Nate and Stacey quickly realized how much better it was than the popcorn typically found on grocery store shelves. That experience inspired Nate to research premium popcorn seed and rented around one and a half acres of farm ground from his parents’ farm. They developed a logo, created packaging, and launched a website before introducing their popcorn to regional grocery stores and small movie theaters. Their crop quickly sold out. The next year they grew 15 acres. The first year they stored the harvested popcorn in pallets in their basement, but when they moved to 15 acres, they had to build a climate-controlled building at his parents’ farm.
Since then, the business has continued to grow. Today, they plant roughly a few hundred acres each year, adjusting production to meet customer demand.
Carley Bruning, Executive Director of Thayer County Economic Development Alliance (TCEDA), said the ribbon cutting felt like a full circle moment.
“Economic development is about helping local businesses turn big dreams into reality, and Free Day Popcorn is a wonderful example of what can happen when determination, community support, and the right resources come together,” Bruning said.
Four years ago, Free Day Popcorn became the very first recipient of our Thriving in Thayer County Business of the Year Award. “We’re honored to have been a small part of their journey and can’t wait to see how this expansion helps them continue sharing a little piece of Thayer County with customers across the country,” Bruning said.
Supporting existing businesses and entrepreneurs is an important part of economic development. Local businesses help strengthen our communities by creating jobs, investing in their communities, and making a positive impact on where we live and work.
Congratulations to Free Day Popcorn on their new location. We appreciate the investment they are making in the community and look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the future.
Free Day Popcorn is served electrically by Norris Public Power District, a wholesale customer of Nebraska Public Power District.
Written by: Sara Groteluschen, NPPD Economic Development Specialist