The Fireworks Popcorn Company, founded by Barry MacLean, began with a passion for popcorn and a group of well-fed ducks. MacLean, CEO of the MacLean-Fogg Company, the largest manufacturer of metal nuts (as in "nuts and bolts") in North America, loved popcorn since his boyhood in northern Wisconsin. This love led him to purchase a commercial popcorn popper for the MacLean-Fogg cafeteria.

Cold-forging the metal nuts necessitated installation of a cooling pond, which attracted ducks year round, as the pond never froze. Staff enjoyed feeding the ducks popcorn from the cafeteria, and after a short time, MacLean found himself ordering large quantities of corn.

Looking for a way to allow his employees and the ducks to continue enjoying the popcorn, without breaking the bank, MacLean decided to grow his own popcorn on some agricultural land owned by MacLean-Fogg for future factory expansion.

Upon investigation, MacLean found that the variety of popcorn that most Americans consume, the "big yellow" kernels, was just one of MANY varieties. Being a popcorn connoisseur, MacLean researched the different varieties, their flavors and textures. After matching the right varieties of corn to the climate, he was soon growing more popcorn than the ducks and the employees could eat. He began bottling it for employee gifts and eventually starting selling the popcorn. Thus, in 1988, Fireworks Popcorn Company was founded.

The company's core value, finding the highest quality popcorns with the best flavors and textures, catapulted the company to become a renowned national gourmet and gift food company.

In 1997 MacLean agreed to sell the Fireworks Popcorn Company to Richard Bourne and his family, to carry on the tradition which had started with a love of popcorn and a duck pond.

Today, Fireworks Popcorn Company is headquartered in the community of Port Washington, Wisconsin. The inspirational beauty of Lake Michigan, creative leadership and the strong work ethic of FPC employees has led the company to a new level of success. Fireworks Popcorn Company now offers 12 varieties of corn, a new popcorn spice line, commercial poppers, gourmet caramel corn varieties and is working on the development of a new microwave popper.