Pipcorn is a line of heirloom corn snacks that now sells under the name Pip’s Heirloom Snacks, which is why the package you remember looks nothing like the one on the shelf. Most shoppers who cannot find it are searching the wrong name. Before you buy, it helps to know which stores still stock it, what the lineup includes, and what a full-size pack should cost.
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What Pipcorn Is Now and Who Should Buy It
Pipcorn is a better-for-you salty snack line built on heirloom maize, an open-pollinated corn grown from seed that farmers save and replant instead of buying new hybrid seed each season. It is aimed at shoppers who read ingredient panels. In October 2025 the company retired the Pipcorn Heirloom Snacks label and became Pip’s Heirloom Snacks under UpSnack Brands, a sustainable salty snacks platform that also owns Spudsy.
Nothing was discontinued. The heirloom maize base, the small kernels, and the core flavors all carried over; only the packaging changed. Some grocery store chains still have both designs in rotation, and the company website still labels itself “formerly Pipcorn” so longtime buyers stay oriented.
The odd name has a backstory. Siblings Jeff and Jen Martin started the company in Brooklyn in 2012, selling mini popcorn made from a small-kernel heritage variety. A 2014 Shark Tank appearance, where Barbara Corcoran invested, put it in front of a national audience, and Oprah Winfrey later added it to her Favorite Things list.
Features Worth Paying For in Pipcorn
You are paying for the grain, not the seasoning. Heirloom corn costs more to grow because the seed is saved rather than bought, yields run smaller, and the harvest comes off family farms.
Small kernels, thin hulls. The heritage grain gives a smaller kernel with a thinner hull than commodity popping corn. Fewer hull shards wedge between your teeth, which is the single most common complaint about ordinary popcorn.
Non-GMO Project Verified and gluten free. The company states both apply across the range. That verification is third-party, so it carries more weight than a front-of-pack claim.
Avocado oil on most current labels. Per the company’s rebrand announcement, more than 90 percent of its products are now cooked in it. Older inventory predates the switch, so read the ingredient panel.
Regenerative agriculture sourcing. The label credits family farmers using crop rotation and soil-focused practices on small farms. A real point of difference against commodity corn, and also the claim you can least verify at the register.
Six formats, one base grain. Popcorn, Cheese Balls, Corn Dippers, Twists, Crunchies, and Fries all start from the same heirloom maize. Format, not flavor, is the choice that decides whether you like it.
| Format | What it is | Flavors listed by the brand | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Popcorn | Pre-popped mini kernels | Sea Salt, Truffle | Classic bowl snacking |
| Cheese Balls | Puffed rounds, coated in cheddar | Cheddar, White Cheddar | Kids and party bowls |
| Corn Dippers | Thick scoop-shaped chips | Sea Salt | Salsa and guacamole |
| Twists | Sweet coated spirals | Cinnamon Churro | Dessert and road trips |
| Crunchies | Crunchy extruded pieces | Cheddar | Lunchbox portions |
| Fries | Fry-shaped corn snack | Fiery Cheddar | Spice seekers |
How Much Should You Pay for Pipcorn
As of July 2026, when we last checked pricing, a full-size bag ran roughly $4 to $6 at grocery retail, well above commodity chips per ounce. Three tiers are worth knowing.
Single packs in store. That $4 to $6 range covered most singles at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Kroger, and Target. Natural grocers discount snack lines on their own promotional cycles, so the range moves.
Multipacks online. Four or more bags in one listing is normally the cheapest route per ounce. Amazon and the company’s own store both sell them, and Amazon’s Subscribe and Save applies a recurring-order discount on eligible listings.
Bundles and samplers, direct. Curated bundles on pipsnacks.com sit at the top of the range. The Shark Tank sampler was listed in the $40 to $50 band in July 2026, which is gift-box pricing, not snacking pricing.
Where paying more is not worth it: a direct bundle when you only want one flavor. Shipping on a small direct order erases the per-unit saving.
Ordering Pipcorn Online: Where and Why
Online is the reliable channel: every current format is available somewhere online, which no physical store can claim.
Amazon
Amazon, the largest online retailer in the United States, carries the widest selection, from singles to full cases. Shop on Amazon #ad and search both names, since listings are mid-transition. Delivery speed varies by Prime status and seller, so read the listing rather than assuming two-day shipping.
Pipsnacks.com Direct
Browse the full lineup direct for the newest formats and bundles, which reach the website before they reach retail shelves. It is the only source that lists every current flavor, and the store locator lives there too.
Thrive Market and Misfits Market
Thrive Market, a membership-based natural grocery service, is named by the company as a stocking retailer, as is Misfits Market. Both work if you already buy pantry staples there, though neither justifies a membership for one snack.
Walmart.com and Instacart
The Walmart online listing mirrors much of its in-store assortment and adds delivery or free store pickup. Instacart pulls from local store inventory instead, so it can deliver the same day when a nearby Whole Foods or Sprouts has stock. The catch: the app shows what the store’s system claims, not what is on the shelf.
Finding Pipcorn Near You: In-Store Options
In-store availability is spotty and varies by region, the honest answer most guides skip. The company names Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, and CVS among its retail partners, but no chain carries the full range at every location. Check the natural or better-for-you snack aisle, not the main chip aisle.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods was an early retail partner and still carries the broadest in-store assortment. Look in the packaged snack aisle, not the bulk bins. Our guide to the best things to buy at Whole Foods covers what else earns the trip.
Sprouts and Natural Grocers
Sprouts Farmers Market and Natural Grocers are the strongest regional bet, especially across the West and Mountain states where their footprint is dense. Expect two or three items, not the whole range.
Kroger, Target, and Walmart
Kroger lists the sea salt scoop chips in its online catalog, and Target and Walmart both maintain brand pages. Use each retailer’s in-stock filter for your store before driving over. These three are the least consistent of the group.
CVS, The Fresh Market, and Independent Grocers
CVS is listed as a retail partner, and The Fresh Market carries a dedicated collection. Food co-ops and independent grocers are worth a call as well.
Skip the guesswork with this sequence:
- Open the store locator on pipsnacks.com and enter your ZIP code. It reflects current distribution better than any third-party list.
- Cross-check the nearest listed store against that retailer’s own app for item-level stock.
- Call and ask using both names, since inventory systems lag rebrands by months.
- If nothing is in range, order online.
What Not to Buy: Common Pipcorn Pitfalls
The costliest mistake is buying the wrong format, because the six lines eat nothing alike inside near-identical packaging.
Confusing the scoop chips with the popcorn. The scoops are thick, sturdy corn chips built for heavy dips. The popcorn is light and airy. Read the format name on the front before the flavor.
Ignoring the best-by date. The company states an 8 month shelf life from manufacture for most products, and 10 or 12 months for popcorn depending on size. That is shorter than heavily preserved competitors, so check dates anywhere turnover looks slow.
Assuming everything is dairy free. Cheese Balls, Crunchies, and Fries all contain dairy. Only some products carry vegan certification, so read the panel instead of the front of the pack.
Paying captive-venue prices. Single-serve sizes at airports and highway stops cost far more per ounce than a full-size pack at a supermarket. Buy multipacks if you eat these weekly.
Searching only the old product name. Type one name into a retailer’s search box and you can get zero results even when that store stocks it. Search Pip’s too, since shelf tags and inventory systems lag rebrands by months.
Top Pipcorn Picks Worth Buying
These five picks span the range by format rather than flavor, since format is the decision that changes your experience.
Best overall: Sea Salt Mini Heirloom Popcorn. The original product the company was built on. Tiny kernels, thin hulls, plain salt, nothing else. Around $4 to $6 per bag. Check price on Amazon #ad
Best for kids: Cheddar Cheese Balls. Puffed heirloom rounds coated in real cheddar cheese, with a White Cheddar version alongside. The closest thing in the lineup to a familiar supermarket taste. Contains dairy. Check price on Amazon #ad
Best for dipping: Sea Salt Corn Dippers. Thick, deeply scooped chips that survive dense salsa where thin tortilla chips snap. This is also the item that turns up most often in mainstream retailer catalogs. Check price on Amazon #ad
Best sweet option: Cinnamon Churro Twists. The one dessert-leaning item in a savory lineup, coated in cinnamon and sugar. Sold previously as Cinnamon Sugar Twists, so search both names. Check price on Amazon #ad
Best sampler: Variety Pack. The efficient way to find your format without buying six full-size packs, and the smarter first purchase for a household with different tastes. Check price on Amazon #ad
Two newer formats reward a look once you know your preference: Cheddar Crunchies and Fiery Cheddar Fries. Neither has the popcorn’s distribution yet, so buy those direct.
Start with the store locator on the company’s website, since distribution shifted with the rebrand and any store list, this one included, ages faster than the locator does. If a nearby Whole Foods, Sprouts, or Kroger shows stock, buy one format first. Otherwise order a sampler online. Pipcorn is worth the premium if you care about the grain and the hulls, not if you just want volume. For other better-for-you food brands, see our Quest Bars buying guide, our Beyond Meat guide, or our Takis guide.
FAQ: Buying Pipcorn
Who owns Pipcorn now?
Pip’s Heirloom Snacks, the renamed company, sits inside UpSnack Brands, a platform that also owns the sweet potato snack Spudsy. The October 2025 rebrand changed the name and the packaging, not the recipes, and no product was dropped.
Which Shark invested in Pipcorn?
Barbara Corcoran, the real estate investor on the Shark Tank panel, backed the company during its 2014 appearance. It sold one product then and six formats now.
Is Pipcorn gluten free?
The company states that all of its snacks are Non-GMO Project Verified and gluten free. Corn carries no gluten naturally, so the badge is really about shared equipment and handling. Confirm it on your specific package, since labels are still mid-transition.
Should Pipcorn be refrigerated?
No. Keep it sealed in a cool, dry cupboard, since refrigeration invites moisture and softens the crunch. Unopened, the company lists 8 months from manufacture for most products and 10 or 12 months for popcorn depending on package size. Once opened, finish it within a few days.
Is this the same as microwave popcorn?
No. Every item ships pre-popped or pre-cooked and ready to eat, so there is no microwave pouch and no unpopped kernels inside. To pop heirloom maize yourself you need loose kernels from a different supplier.
Which products are vegan?
The company says only some products carry vegan certification rather than the whole lineup. Plain Sea Salt popcorn and the sea salt scoop chips are the dairy-free-leaning options, while anything cheddar contains dairy. Formulations moved with the avocado oil switch, so check the badge.
Editorial review: wheretobuyguides.com team. Retailer links, product lineup, and prices last verified July 2026 against the company’s own website and retailer listings.