“Although it’s a ton of work over the holidays, we get jazzed up at just how much we can do,” she said. “It kind of feels like ‘The Little Train that Could.’ That’s what I feel like this business is.”
Elhaj grew up in The Woodlands but is one of many University of Texas graduates who never left Austin. Although she never took a business course in college, Elhaj said she decided one day to run her own company.•After looking for a business model, Elhaj settled on a popcorn shop. She said she found a used popcorn machine on Craigslist, and the owner also passed on his tips for cooking popcorn and creating flavors.
“He was like an angel adviser to us,” she said. “He didn’t ask for any money in return; he was just wanting to see the business do well.”
Elhaj launched Cornucopia in 2008 and expanded in August 2016 with the opening of a Northwest Austin shop. The new shop allows her to fill holiday and large orders, such as when a major corporation ordered 1,100 tins of popcorn, she said.
“That was one of the highlights of having this big location,” she said. “We’re able to create an assembly line of manufacturing these 1,100 tins in 10 days.”
Cornucopia has seasonal flavors, such as ginger pear and white chocolate cranberry. About 95% of flavors are gluten-free, and the shop carries vegan options.
“Popcorn is a blank canvas,” Elhaj said.
Through Dec. 31, Cornucopia is having a promotion to benefit For Kids’ Sake, a nonprofit run by a high school friend, that helps children in orphanages in Bangladesh. Customers can use the coupon code 4KidsSake to donate 20% of their online order total to For Kids’ Sake. Elhaj said the goal is to raise $2,000.
“I’ve always really liked the connection with people and helping people and giving back to the community,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to try to incorporate that into the business.”
Cornucopia Popcorn
7318 McNeil Drive, Ste. 111, Austin
512-840-1176
www.cornucopiapopcorn.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. noon-6 p.m.
