It started in front of a Sam's Club.

Adam Baker was looking for something new when he noticed a company selling popcorn in front of the local Sam's Club — and couldn't quite believe someone could make a living on popcorn. They invited him out to a football game to see for himself. One busy afternoon behind the kettle was all it took.

He went home, sold his Toyota 4Runner, and put every dollar into popping equipment. It took six months to gather all the gear, and he learned the craft the honest way — batch after batch, plus about a million YouTube videos. Turns out the recipe for kettle corn is simple. Making it right, every single time, is the part that takes years.

A decade later, Baker's Kettle Corn & Lemon Shakers is still a family operation. You'll find Adam at the kettle, family working the counter, and two booths — one red, one yellow — popping their way through fairs, festivals, markets, and football seasons across Northern California and Nevada.

What we believe

The best ingredients, no exceptions. We pop premium mushroom-style kernels — the big, round, extra-crunchy kind — with real cane sugar and quality oil. People taste the difference, and they tell us so at every event. (Curious what sets it apart? Here's what makes real kettle corn different.)

Consistency is the recipe. Anyone can make one good batch. Our whole craft is making the ten-thousandth batch taste exactly like the first.

It should be fun. Kettle corn is a happy business — people walk up smiling and leave smiling wider. We plan to keep it that way.

What's next

For years, folks have asked us to ship. We're on it — a full online store with one-time boxes and a monthly Kettle Corn Club is in the works, popping and shipping fresh from a commercial kitchen.Join the listand you'll hear the moment it opens.