Leawood, Kan. — AMC Theatres, the largest theatrical exhibitor in the United States and in the world, has made a critical hire as it prepares to expand its business into the multibillion-dollar retail popcorn industry. Ellen Copaken, formally of Frito-Lay and Hostess Brands, will join AMC as the vice president, growth strategy, beginning February 18.
In this newly created role, Copaken will lead AMC’s implementation of growth ideas related to the sale to consumers of popcorn outside AMC’s historic in-theatre channel. She will report to Mark Pearson, chief strategy officer, and will assist with other initiatives to broaden and transform AMC.
“I have been vocal about our intention to innovate, grow and transform AMC’s business, with our planned venture into the multibillion-dollar popcorn industry being a significant example of our doing so,” says Adam Aron, chairman and CEO of AMC. “I am therefore quite pleased to welcome Ellen Copaken as vice president of growth strategy for AMC, who is an extremely important hire for us. She has a superb track record in brand management and innovation at Frito-Lay, PepsiCo and Hostess Brands. Her executive ability combined with her significant grocery experience will be a vital asset to AMC as we explore and deliver on current and future opportunities, starting with our new popcorn initiative.”
Copaken joins AMC with significant strategic planning, brand management and grocery experience. For the last 4 years she’s served as a partner at global innovation consulting firm, Sterling Rice Group, where she led client relationships and growth strategy engagements in foodservice, retail, consumer package goods and hospitality industries. Previously, she worked in leadership roles for Frito-Lay, PepsiCo and Hostess Brands in general management, innovation and brand management.
Last November, AMC announced that it would begin selling its popular AMC Theatres Perfectly Popcorn, which has been available to consumers in theatres for more than a century continually since the year 1920, through four new platforms in 2022.
- Beginning later this year, AMC will begin selling freshly made AMC Theatres Perfectly Popcorn at select mall retail locations around the country. Those new kiosks, counters and stores will feature real AMC movie theatre popcorn and other AMC movie theatre treats.
- Additionally, AMC plans to make its AMC Theatres Perfectly Popcorn, freshly popped in nearby theatres, available through food delivery-to-home services. In this way, consumers will be able to enjoy a slice of the AMC experience when being entertained at home.
- AMC will sell “To Go” packages at its theatres of freshly popped popcorn for takeout and/or pickup.
- AMC is also exploring opportunities to offer prepackaged and ready-to-pop microwaveable AMC Theatres Perfectly Popcorn, in supermarkets, convenience stores and other foodservice venues around the country.
AMC has approximately 950 theatres and 10,500 screens across the globe. For more information, visit www.amctheatres.com.
SOURCE: AMC Entertainment Holdings