We were lucky to catch up with Derrick & Tavia Jackson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Derrick & Tavia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Tastebuds Popcorn Concord Mission Statement: Our mission is to unite the world through gourmet snacks that are fresh, fun, and made to the highest standards by people who enjoy what they do.
Importance:
We launched our gourmet popcorn business during the coronavirus pandemic and in direct response to it. In late 2020, the world was, perhaps, at its most divided and most isolated and most vulnerable state.
Popcorn reminds us of lighter times. This sense of nostalgia and fond family memories are what we strive to recreate at Tastebuds Concord. We strive to celebrate common bonds of fun, family, rewards, and freedom.
Derrick & Tavia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Tastebuds Popcorn Concord is a Veteran, Woman, and Black-owned business. The brand proudly offers over 200 unique flavors of gourmet popcorn that are handcrafted in small batches and feature only the finest ingredients!
We would love to partner with you for your next event, employee recognition, birthday party, wedding, shower, and holiday celebration!
Tastebuds Concord clientele features Fortune 500 companies, celebrities, professional sports teams (Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC, NASCAR, etc), as well as popcorn lovers nationwide. Patrons may choose to visit the store (located just 1 mile north of the Charlotte Motor Speedway) or they have their decadent and savory snacks delivered. Flavors range from Salt & Vinegar to Everything Bagel to Cherry Lemon Sun Drop. From Cookies & Cream to Cheddar Jalapeño. From Banana Pudding and Reese’s, your outlook of popcorn possibilities will be forever changed. Pop in to our store for free samples!
Recently, Tastebuds won the 2021-22 New Business of the Year from the Cabarrus County Chamber of Commerce. We’re located at:
3805 Concord Pkwy S., #132
Concord, NC 28027
Or online at www.tastebudsconcord.com
https://linktr.ee/tastebudspopcornconcord
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Some of the principles that guide our company vision are:
* We will operate with honesty, respect and integrity in all of our dealings.
* We will build an organizational culture that values the growth and development of its employees.
* The way we interact with our customers is just as important as the products we sell to them. We will endeavor to make each customer’s day a bit better.
* We will bring a high degree of professionalism to everything we do.
* We will produce a consistently high-quality product that customers can depend on; if a batch isn’t quite right, we will throw it away rather than sell it.
* We will optimize our production and service delivery processes, which will enable us to keep our prices competitive while offering a superior product.
* As we work to balance short- and long-term priorities, we will place an emphasis on doing what’s right for the long term.
* We will build a culture that supports and appreciates the contributions and ideas of our employees, where they feel safe to offer contrary opinions and suggest better ways to do things.
* We will use care in the selection of our products and services, and avoid doing things that make the world worse off.
* We will use natural, high-quality ingredients.
* Life is too short to not have fun together at work. We will create an environment that is fun.
* We will hire carefully, and work hard to keep the people who are part of our team. We will do what we can to support their personal/professional growth.
How’d you meet your business partner?
I met my wife back in 1999. We were visiting the same college on the same weekend at high school seniors.
I noticed her way before she noticed me, but I thought nothing of it. After the tours and the student mixers, we ended up sitting next to one another at a gospel choir concert. Because we arrived earlier than the general audience, we had time to talk and find multiple commonalities and interests. We exchanged email addresses, finished our senior years in two different states, and corresponded to confirm that we would both return to Elon College (now, University).
We became fast friends and grew into so much more! 
Contact Info:
- Website: TastebudsConcord.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tastebudspopcornconcord/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/TastebudsPopcornConcord/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/concord-tastebuds-popcorn-bb051a241/?original_referer=
- Twitter: Twitter.com/tastebudsconc
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5iXzwdCbyMlH2ZepkaphUA?sub_confirmation=1
- Yelp: https://s.yelp.com/QWIhBSlDI0
- Other: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJDbta8BsbVIgRq5lRK9BL9uk&source=g.page.m.ia._&laa=nmx-review-solicitation-ia2