ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – After more than 20 years in business, a Rochester brand is taking a step into the future, one kernel at a time.

Carroll’s Corn, an iconic snack giant in the Med City, recently purchased the former site of Deutsch Furniture Gallery on Commercial Avenue SW to take its production to the next level. The move, according to CEO and owner Seamus Kolb, aims to increase the company’s output and efficiency, while automating certain processes.

“The goal with this space,” Kolb said, “is to give a dedicated home for our production of Carroll’s Corn and really focus on all of our business-to-business operations as well as our e-commerce business.”

The owner reflected how the company’s expansion over the past several years led to the decision to consolidate its production. Kolb explained how the company began selling wholesale accounts to stores such as Hy-Vee and local breweries.

In September, sporting goods store Scheels approached the popcorn company to sell its products.

“We’re in 16 different states now,” Kolb said. “That was the tipping point where Carroll’s Corn saw we need to start investing in the future because we have a company like Scheels supporting [us].”

The company purchased the Commercial Avenue space for $2 million. After factoring in equipment purchases and building renovations, the grand total of the investment is around $3.5 million.

Those investments, Kolb said, will help ease some of the burden off staff. Currently, staff are hand-sealing each popcorn bag and lifting heavy boxes. Staff also produce popcorn until midnight every day. Kolb said he and staff are excited to bring in machinery, including forklifts and bagging machines, to decrease staff time from current 16-hour-long days.

“It’s going to be a drastic improvement to what we’re able to do at our downtown locations.” Kolb said.

With tariffs causing uncertainty among business owners, Kolb decided to try sourcing all of the company’s machines for the new building in the United States. Kolb admitted that some of Carroll’s supplies have been impacted by tariffs, specifically coconut oil, most of which is made in Malaysia.

“In order to avoid dropping that [cost] down to the customer,” Kolb added, “shopping in the USA is a high priority for Carroll’s Corn.”

Kolb said most of the renovations will focus on converting the building from a furniture store to a production and inventory warehouse, including installing HVAC and cleaning systems. Kolb predicts the building will be operational during Q3 or Q4 this year, in time for its holiday orders.

“We could be producing as many as 8,000 bags per day,” Kolb remarked, referencing the impact he estimates the automations will have on the company. “This is going to be huge for lead times with our business partners and our e-commerce business as well.”

Kolb remarked how the company has grown since he first joined 20 years ago. “I’ve watched this business go through all sorts of different phases of its life, and this is a really exciting one.”

Kolb acknowledges the demand for a retail space at this new building, but said the priority is improving the manufacturing quality of the business. He said customers can continue shopping at the Kahler Grand Hotel location in downtown Rochester, local grocery stores such as Hy-Vee, and on its website.

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