Garrett Popcorn in the UK: The Chicago Mix, Explained
There are two kinds of people: those who think caramel popcorn and cheese popcorn in the same handful sounds wrong, and those who've tried Garrett Mix. The Chicago institution has queues around the block back home; in the UK, it's a specialist import — and one of our most-asked-about products.
What makes Garrett different
Garrett has hot-air-popped its corn in small batches since 1949 — no oil popping — then coats it fresh. The CaramelCrisp is cooked in copper kettles until it's glassy and deep amber (closer to toffee than the soft caramel of supermarket popcorn), and the CheeseCorn uses a sharp cheddar dust that stains your fingers the official Chicago orange.
The Garrett Mix (a.k.a. Chicago Mix)
Half CaramelCrisp, half CheeseCorn, same bag. The sweet-salty-sharp combination shouldn't work and absolutely does — it's the flavour that made the brand. If you're ordering once, order this; the sweet and savoury balance is the whole point.
Keeping it fresh
Tins and bags travel well, but once opened, popcorn is in a race with British humidity: reseal tightly, keep it cool and dark, and finish caramel varieties within a week or two (rarely a problem). The tins themselves are famously reusable — half of Chicago stores biscuits in them.
See what's currently in stock in our Garrett Popcorn collection — tins come and go quickly because import runs are small.
FAQs
What is in Garrett's Chicago Mix?
Half CaramelCrisp (copper-kettle caramel popcorn) and half CheeseCorn (sharp cheddar popcorn) in the same bag — the sweet-salty combination is Garrett's signature.
Is Garrett Popcorn gluten free?
Garrett states its classic recipes including CaramelCrisp and CheeseCorn are made without gluten ingredients, but always check the label on the specific tin you buy.
How long does Garrett popcorn stay fresh?
Unopened tins keep for weeks; once opened, reseal tightly and enjoy within one to two weeks before humidity softens the crunch.
