POP LOCAL! Riehle Select Popcorn is Sunman Grown

A Sunman family farm turned Indiana's official snack into a worldwide business

(Sunman, Ind.) - Along the roads outside Sunman, the tall silos and fields of corn may look like a familiar part of the southeastern Indiana landscape. But some of those fields produce a crop that travels much farther than most people might imagine.

Some of it ends up in kitchens across the country. Some travels as far as Sweden. And some has even made its way to a superyacht.

It all starts on a family farm in Sunman.

The Riehle family has been working the land since 1910, but it was in 1998 that the family began growing popcorn. At first, the popcorn was sold in bulk to other companies. Then, in 2005, the family decided to take the next step - growing, processing, packaging and selling its own premium popcorn.

Today, Riehle Select Gourmet Popcorn is a family-owned and family-operated business that produces hundreds of acres of popcorn each year and ships its kernels around the world.

And despite all that reach, the business remains a little bit of a “secret in plain sight” in its hometown.

Mark and Carlene Riehle raised their family on the farm, and today their children and other family members continue to play important roles in the business.

Their son, Eric, farms the fields while his wife, Lisa, works in the office. Eric’s brother, Chris, is also an owner while working as a teacher and athletic director at East Central Middle School. His wife, Susan, provides marketing services for Taylor Corporation.

Then there is Tony Hountz, who has been part of the operation for 17 years.

Together, they have built a business that combines old-fashioned farming with a very modern specialty food operation.

The family plants between 300 and 400 acres of popcorn each year, with the amount depending largely on weather and growing conditions.

For someone unfamiliar with popcorn farming, the fields can look a little different from ordinary field corn.

Popcorn plants tend to be shorter and more compact. Each plant produces one, and sometimes two ears of corn. The crop is carefully managed from planting through harvest because, unlike a manufactured food product, the kernels are an agricultural product. Weather can affect the size, color and characteristics of the finished popcorn from one growing season to the next.

The journey begins in early spring when high-quality seed is planted in the fields.

Once the plants mature and the kernels reach the proper moisture level, the popcorn is harvested and shelled with a combine. The kernels are then stored in grain bins until they are ready to be processed.

That's when the farm's popcorn business shifts from field work to food production.

The kernels are cleaned and sorted, with the best kernels selected for packaging. Years of experience have gone into learning how to produce popcorn with the flavor, texture and popping performance customers expect.

Riehle Select offers a variety of gourmet popcorn, including white, yellow, blue, red and orange varieties, as well as specialty blends.

The colors aren't simply for appearance. Each variety has its own subtle differences in flavor and characteristics.

The family chose the name “Select” because of the care that goes into choosing the kernels that make it into the final product.

What began as a family farm's experiment has grown into a business shipping approximately 50,000 pounds of Select Popcorn each year.

And the customer list reaches well beyond Indiana.

About 22,000 pounds of the popcorn makes its way to Sweden. Hawaii and Alaska are also among the company's customers.

But perhaps the most unexpected repeat customer is an out-of-state professional sports team.

For years, the staff has ordered Riehle's Baby White Select popcorn. The orders are often placed at the last minute and require overnight shipping.

One particularly memorable order came with an unusual delivery requirement. The popcorn needed to arrive at their heliport at a specific time so it could make a flight to a superyacht.

The Riehle crew made the arrangements and got it there. The popcorn was handed off to the pilot without a hitch.

For all of the miles Riehle Select Popcorn travels, the family hasn't forgotten where it started.

Local customers can purchase Riehle Select at George's Pharmacy locations or contact the family about picking up an order directly at the farm.

Customers can choose from 10 gourmet varieties and two blends, with options available for everyday snacking, gifts and special occasions. There are Sampler packs available to try them all.

Orders can also be placed online and shipped directly to customers. There are also Free Shipping and Specials available.

That combination of local roots and worldwide reach is what makes the Riehle story unique.

Indiana officially named popcorn its state snack in 2021, and Indiana is the nation's leading popcorn-producing state. But for the Riehle family, popcorn isn't simply an official state snack.

It's a crop. It's a business.

And most importantly, it's a family tradition that has been growing in Sunman for nearly three decades.

For questions or local pickup information, customers can contact Riehle Select Gourmet Popcorn at info@selectpopcorn.com or call (812) 212-2202.

Someone in Sunman will answer the phone.

Now that's local service.