Flint River Council > Unit Fundraising > Popcorn

Popcorn

August 8, 2026 – October 25, 2026

Every Scout should learn the value of hard work and earning their own way. The popcorn sale is the perfect opportunity to teach this valuable life lesson and fund the most exciting year of Scouting ever. The council does all the pre-work to set up the sale, eliminating the need for units to research opportunities, calculate returns, create sales and promotional materials, manage a relationship with a vendor, etc. The popcorn sale is not just about selling popcorn…It’s also about promoting Scouting!

Thousands of dollars go back to the Scouting program in the Flint River Council as a result of the annual popcorn sale. The popcorn sale is a way for a Scout to support his or her way through the various activities during the year. There are three options to sell popcorn: traditional take order sales, sell online to friends and family out of town and show-n-sell. For more information, contact your unit popcorn kernel.

This year’s sale runs from August 8, 2026 – October 25, 2026.  All keys dates are listed in the 2026 Popcorn Kernel Guide [COMING SOON]

2026 Sale at a Glance!

  • Make sure your unit registers online at login.trails-end.com/unit-registration
    • Popcorn communications will only be sent directly to the Unit Kernels/Co-Kernels of participating units that have registered.
  • Some things to consider:
    • This years’ popcorn sale runs from August 8 — October 25, but it’s really 365/24/7 now!
    • Product mix includes more than just popcorn!
    • Although your unit may not be interested, you may have parents that would like some additional fundraising. You can make it optional for those that need it. Let’s not say NO for someone else.
    • With so many ways to sell product this year, including selling through an app or online where the product gets shipped directly to the customer, there’s really no reason not to participate. It takes very little coordination from the unit with this method.
  • 2026 FRC Kickoff Presentation [COMING SOON]
  • Show and Sell
    • Initial Order Due August 16
    • The Council is managing Show and Sell booths for major businesses! We have secured storefront locations to choose from and these store front reservations will be available to reserve starting August 28.
      • Log into your popcorn Kernel Dashboard, go to Storefront Reservation, and select the storefronts available in September and October. Once you reserve a storefront, you can view and manage it under Storefront Management.
  • Online Direct – The trail’s end app allows you to do it all:  https://www.trails-end.com/app.
    • No paper orders this year!  Scouts must use the app to take orders.
  • Have questions?  Contact:

Manage your sale and place orders!

LEADER PORTAL

SAVE TIME MANAGING YOUR SALE!

  • www.trails-end.com
  • Manage your unit’s sale ALL in one place!
  • Order Popcorn; easy prize submission; set your unit/Scout goal
  • Invite your Scouts to register; manage Scout roster
  • View real-time sales, inventory, and cash management

SHOW & SELL/DELIVER ORDERS (for full cases) DUE ONLINE on August 16, 2026

Pickup dates: August 27 (Midwest Food Bank – Peachtree City)

Order Show & Sell and Show & Deliver popcorn online at www.Trails-End.com .  Show & Sell and Show & Deliver popcorn is ordered by the CASE ONLY.

FINAL TAKE ORDERS DUE ONLINE on October 25, 2026

Order Take Order Popcorn online at www.Trails-End.com . You will then enter the amount needed by container.  The system will automatically generate into cases and containers.  Take Order popcorn can be ordered by cases and containers.5

Why Sell Popcorn?

  • Increase your unit income – 35% stays with your unit
  • Pay for your entire Scouting program.
  • With so many ways to sell product this year, including selling through an app or online where the product gets shipped directly to the customer, there’s really no reason not to participate.
  • New Unit Incentive: If your unit has not sold previously, you will receive 2 FREE SHOW & SELL CASES. 100% of sales from those two cases will stay with the unit – $480 value!!

Resources and Tools

FRC Resources and Tools
  • COMING SOON
Trails End Help and Guides

Ways to sell Popcorn!

It’s easier than ever to sell popcorn this year!  You can even sell from the comfort and safety of your own home, without ever having to touch a single bag of popcorn!

We want to ensure that you sell safely and learn important life skills like goal setting, public speaking, teamwork and much more.  The six best ways to sell below will give you everything you need to sell like a pro.

Take Order – This is the most traditional way to sell; going door-to-door with your Family Guide and the Trail’s End App.  Customers choose the products he or she wishes to buy and you enter the order into the app.  You will collect the money; either credit card via the app or cash/check, at the time of the order.  Advantages:  Provide a personal connection with your customers.  Higher dollars per customer than storefront sales.  Always sell with another Scout or with an adult!

    • Walking your neighborhood with your parents and another Scout
    • Call on your relatives and family friends

Show and Sell – Your Den, Pack, or Troop signs up to sell in front of one of the local stores that we have an agreement with.  Set up a well-organized display with products for people to purchase as they walk by.  Have plenty of products on display for people to buy.  Advantages:  Gives access to many potential customers and promotes the Boy Scouts of America in the community. 

    • Ensure Leaders and Scouts are in uniform with a neat and clean appearance
    • Ability to provide a fun atmosphere for the group
    • Ideal opportunity to teach selling techniques

    Selling Online Direct  – Contactless sales can be accomplished in two ways!  Through an app on your phone or online.  You can send emails to your customers asking them to purchase Trail’s End products online and even share your Trails End Scouting page directly to Facebook. Your customers click on the link in your email or Facebook post and can begin shopping right away.  They order products online and pay with a credit card and Trail’s End ships the products directly to your customers.  Advantages: No product delivery or money collection.  Ability to sell popcorn year-round and reach your friends and family who live far away.  Find more info here:  https://www.trails-end.com/online-direct. Benefits include not handling any inventory or product yourself

      • 35% commission automatically
      • 1.25 pts for every $1 sold (credit card + online)
      • 1 pt for every $1 sold (App cash)

    Selling at Work – Much like the traditional door-to-door take order sale.  In this case, where allowed, you or your scouts take the family guide and app to your workplace.  You will collect the money; either credit card via the app or cash/check, at the time of the order. Advantages:  Expands your customer base and offices often need snacks and gifts. 

    American Heroes (Military & First Responders) Blitz (page 8 of leaders guide) – The American Heroes Blitz allows customers to support the military, first responders, veterans’ organizations and Scouting at the same time. Customers can choose to donate $50 or $30 worth of popcorn to men and women in the military, first responders, their families and veterans’ organizations. There are no shipping and handling charges associated with hero donations. Over 2,000 tons of popcorn treats have been shipped to hundreds of locations around the world! Hero donations count toward Scout rewards.

    Since customers who purchase a hero donation don’t receive the product in exchange for payment, the purchase should be 100% tax-deductible. As always, recommend that the customer check the tax laws with their tax professional, as tax laws often change.

    It is a simple interaction with community members willing to recognize our military personnel with popcorn and financially support our Scouts. Military Sales does not require delivery of any product by the Scout.  All product is delivered via Trails-End connections to military sources.

    There’s an App for that!

    Click the picture above to downoad the app!