Photo Credit: Lauren Miller
Marcia Taylor, a biomedical engineer, never intended to start a popcorn business. But when her homemade gourmet popcorn became a hit with friends, family and coworkers, she realized she was on to something. In 2014, after successfully setting up a popcorn bar for a coworker’s wedding, Taylor officially launched Lush Popcorn with her brother, Marc Taylor. This past November, Lush Popcorn moved from a commercial kitchen in the Ninth District to Sherman Phoenix development, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave.
Taylor started selling white chocolate popcorn at farmers markets, but it didn’t hold up well in the summer heat. That prompted her to play around with other flavors. “We took two things we love—liquor and popcorn—and came up with beer caramel. We eventually got to maple bourbon,” she said.
The name Lush is a double entendre, Taylor explained—lush is short for luscious, and because they put liquor in the popcorn (although all flavors don’t contain liquor), lush also fits that aspect. “It’s a fun name, reflecting the fun lush culture of Milwaukee, the Brewers and Brew City,” she said.
The maple bourbon popcorn is caramel corn with a twist, and it’s Lush’s signature flavor. They also make a vegan version. Other standards include Wisconsin cheddar with a tangy pop of cheddar; white chocolate; cookies and cream; Chicago Mix, a sweet and salty combination of maple bourbon and cheese; and maple bourbon pecan. Specialty flavors made in limited batches include vegan lemon pepper, chili lime margarita and chipotle cheddar, with a smoky heat that comes through.
Many of their flavor combinations are inspired by customer requests, and Taylor also considers bold flavor profiles that she and her team like. They also focus on infusions and recently introduced a small batch of rosemary honey popcorn. Lush also takes custom orders for events. Taylor said they’ve successfully created root beer-flavored popcorn, complete with the fizzle of root beer. “Some custom flavors are tough and we can’t get them all, but when we do, they’re really good,” she said.
The popcorn is made with non-GMO corn sourced directly from a local farm. Lush uses real butter and no high-fructose corn syrup. “I’m a junk food baby, but a health-conscious junk food baby,” Taylor laughed. “We try to stick to pure ingredients.”
Taylor said it’s been amazing to have a presence in Sherman Phoenix. She met Maanaan and JoAnne Sabir, co-developers of Sherman Phoenix, through their business, The Juice Kitchen. Taylor was a regular customer and sold her vegan maple bourbon popcorn there. In 2017, Maanaan mentioned to Taylor that Sherman Phoenix was in the works. Taylor had been searching for a brick-and-mortar location and thought having a presence at Sherman Phoenix would be a great opportunity. “The business owners all help each other, whether it’s something as simple as supplying an extra stick of butter or helping with inventory management. Having a community of small businesses encouraging and supporting each other has been phenomenal,” she said.
Taylor also expressed enthusiasm for the diverse patrons that bring positive energy to Sherman Phoenix. People have come from as far as Oconomowoc and Menomonee Falls to express support. Taylor plans to do farmers’ markets this summer. Lush just landed their first wholesale account with Ray’s Liquor in Wauwatosa; their chipotle cheddar is on the shelves now.
For more information, visit lushpopcorn.com.
