Introduction to the Popcorn Sale
Getting Started and Unit Kick-off
Since the early 1980’s, nearly every scout council has made the popcorn product sale the one unit and council team effort to support the unit and council program. Popcorn is the best-selling healthy snack food, and the amount of return to scouting is high, over 70 percent with the majority of the net sale going to the local unit. The Moraine Trails Council, BSA pays for the transportation of the product, the prize program for the scouts, sales forms, and other miscellaneous costs to conduct the sale.
Key Dates 2025
August 7th Council Kick-off (in – person) at the Preston Center, Camp Bucoco
August 12th Council Kick-off (via Zoom)
August 15th Show & Sell Unit Orders Due to Council
August 28th Show & Sell Distribution to Units
October 23rd Unit Take Orders Due
November 13th Take Orders Distributed to Units
December 4th Unit Payment to Council Due to qualify for bonus commissions.
December 11th Payment Final Due Date. A late fee of $100 will apply if the unit payment is not received.
Unit commision Structures
Qualifying for Unit Commissions: Units must pay the entire amount due to the Council by December 4, 2025 to qualify for unit commissions. If the unit does not pay on-time, the unit will receive the base commission only. Invoices paid after Dec.11, 2025 will incur a $100 late fee.
Show & sell orders must be paid by October 23, 2025, to qualify for bonus commission programs.
The commissions for 2025 are will be posted soon
SELLING METHODS
Show & Sell
Show & Sell is also referred to as wagon sales. This method involves securing a location such as a retail outlet, like Walmart, and set up a table to sell out front. Scouts and parents sell for a one or two-hour shift. Training videos can be found on the trails-end.com website.
Take Order
Scouts use forms or the take order app on tablets to take orders from family, friends, and going door-to-door in local neighborhoods. The unit compiles the scout orders and places one large order in October with the Council for delivery and distribution in November.
Online
Scouts create an online profile and email friends and family who use a link to the scouts account to support his sale.
To get started, the unit popcorn chair, sometimes referred to as the popcorn kernel, should register for the sale on the trails-end.com website and then attend the August 7th kick-off orientation at 6:30pm at Camp Bucoco. There is also a Zoom online seminar on August 12th at 7pm. If you are attending the Aug. 7th meeting register on the Council website so we have enough food.
The Council STRONGLY URGES unit popcorn chairs to use the Trails End website to manage the unit sale. When scouts use the mobile app that Trails End has developed to coordinate the sale and unit inventory.
Key Council Staff:
Caelan Hinterlang 724-674-5249 caelan.hinterlang@scouting.org
