AUSTIN, Texas — Popcorn can be nostalgic – the smell, the taste. For some, it's a comfort snack.
But for De J. Lozada, it became a lifeline.
"People have always asked me to sell my popcorn and I would say, 'No, no, it's a love offering.' And it's funny how things change when that's all you have left," Lozada said.
The Raleigh, North Carolina, native made her way to Texas through the military. She was married to an active duty service member and also a civilian public affairs officer for the U.S. Army for over a decade.
Starting in 2007, the mother of two suffered from a nearly 9-year undiagnosable illness that put her $2 million in debt.
"I had $53 in my bank account and no job. I was no longer in corporate America. I was no longer doing the things that I love to do, and I had to figure out a way to contribute to my family," Lozada said.
As a way to help her family, she turned to the two foods she was always good at making: soul food and popcorn.
"I used $26 of that $53, and I bought popcorn seeds and I bought coconut oil and I went into my kitchen," Lozada said.
The now-CEO said when making the popcorn, she knew she had to bring something to the table that was authentic to her. Soul food was part of her culture and heritage.
After perfecting her recipes, Soul Popped was born.
With flavors including Big Momma’s Fried Chicken, Heavenly Macaroni & Cheese, Banana Pudding, Buttered Corn Off-the Cobb and even Chicken 'N Waffles, Lozada fused all the original soul food favorites into popcorn to sell.
Before selling at the farmers market, she was selling her popcorn out the back of her car and would give it out to anyone who would try it. When she decided it was time to expand, it took her about a month to get into the farmers market.
"I called him and they said they have a waiting list of 400. And I said, 'How many are Black?' And they said, 'When can you start?'" Lozada said.
After three years selling at the farmers market and not seeing a lot of Black-owned brands around her, Lozada said she learned that it wasn't that the farmers market wanted to shut Black entrepreneurs out – it was just that they didn't know how to recruit Black-owned brands.
"So together, we became partners, and they allowed me to help them attract other Black brands, quality Black brands to come into the farmers market. As far as I know, today at Central Texas Farmers Market, there's a good handful of Black-owned businesses that are part of that great community who are thriving," Lozada said.
She opened her first production space in 2018, moved to a retail store in Barton Creek Square in 2019 and opened a store at The Arboretum in 2022. The new store features dozens of Black-owned businesses inside for customers to discover and purchase.
"The consumer packaged goods industry, CPG, is a tough industry to be in. We joke [that] the people that are internal to the community, you got to be a little crazy – and in some cases a lot crazy – to do this for a living because of just how challenging it is not only to break into the market but to remain in the market and and remain relevant," Lozada said.
Asides from Soul Popped, Lozada is also the CEO of Soul Made Holdings, a CPG snack foods business portfolio group that includes Soul Popped; the Black and woman-owned digital fundraising platform Good Trouble Gourmet; and Crunch & Chill, a brand that features both alcohol and CBD-infused popcorn flavors.
"I'm a brand that's relied solely on the community – my community of soul poppers, that's what I call them. They are the ones that are responsible for why we're still here and why we're still relevant six and a half years later," Lozada said.
With her undiagnosable illness coming to an end in 2015, Soul Popped is only just beginning for Lozada. She's now looking for an investor and to get her product on retail store shelves.
"It's just time for us to spread our wings and really grow past my comfort zone, you know? And that's what I'm looking forward to doing well into the future," Lozada said.
From starting with $53 in her pocket to now being the creator of award-winning gourmet popcorn, Lozada continues to pour all the love and support she’s received from the community back into her product.
"Our flavors aren't invented in a lab. I am the creator of all of the recipes that we use to taste like real soul food or Southern-inspired foods," Lozada said. "I'm really happy about that."
The business woman continues to follow her dreams every day, knowing her popcorn has not only changed her life but created a space for others to follow in her footsteps.
"I show love through food. Like many, many people I know, many moms and grandmas can relate," Lozada said. "So translating that into popcorn feels as natural to me as breathing."