For 100 years and four generations, the Reist family of Mount Joy has been growing, processing and distributing popcorn to the world. They noted the century mark with a gala dinner for employees, customers, vendors, family and friends – and that was just the beginning of the celebration!
In the history of food, the popularity of popcorn is a rather recent development. Not until the 1930s, when movie theaters and amusement parks emerged as entertainment destinations, did popcorn assume a starring role in American snack-food diets. A hard-working Mount Joy seed grower, Alvin Reist, was struggling through the Great Depression of the 1930s along with the rest of America. Searching for another way to generate income, he combined his knowledge of agronomy with the developing demand in popcorn as a mass-produced snack food. Thanks to a chance meeting with two investors through Alvin’s wife, Mary, who was a nurse visiting her patient, Alvin’s $1,500 in “seed money” popped to $7,500 to invest in transforming his seed business into a corn-focused enterprise, hoping to meet the demand for the new-fangled snack – popcorn.
Two more generations of Reist family’s sons led the company through the 1970s to 2019, during which Reist Seed Company became Reist Popcorn Company. A son-in-law, Mike Higgins, assumed the reins in 2019, introducing organic products and furthering the company’s growth in global markets.
On a glorious September evening, Elizabethtown’s historic, beautifully restored Star Barn at Stone Gables Estate was filled with 240 guests, each of whom has played a role in Reist’s success, from Midwest corn growers to its 26 employees to product distributors, and, of course, family. Customers traveled from Japan, Argentina, Canada and throughout the U.S. to join the celebration.
Following dinner, the current and immediate past company presidents, Mike Higgins and Dave Reist, took questions from the crowd, moderated by 4th generation Reist daughter, Erin Higgins. From advice on a happy marriage (“do the dishes,” according to 50-year-wed Dave) to acknowledging many challenging kitchen-table conversations, the two company leaders agreed that focusing not on one’s own strengths but on the other partners’ unique skills is a strategy for success. “Our company DNA is trust, honesty, integrity, communication and collaboration,” said Mike, “which helps us improvise, adapt and overcome.”
Guests were invited to add their signatures to a Reist sign, provide their ideas for a company time capsule, and take home a signed copy of Dave Reist’s book chronicling the history of the family business. As the celebration continued with dancing, one floor below complimentary childcare was provided by Connecticut-based NannyTainment Event Childcare, allowing out-of-town parents to enjoy the evening stress-free, guilt-free and with their children close-at-hand.
The centennial celebration continued the following day with a 100 Year Anniversary Popcorn Festival at the Reist Family Farm, a free event for the entire community. More than 5,000 guests enjoyed a corn maze, hot air balloon rides, hayrides, corn hole and mini golf, as well as kid-friendly activities, live music, food and dessert trucks and, of course, popcorn, leading up to a festive fireworks display.
“In the agronomy world, often things do not go as planned,” Dave observed. “But the right product, the right quantities, the right time on the dock – when they come together, it’s magic. And it’s so gratifying.”
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