FAQs

What is Trail's End popcorn?

Trail's End is a brand of popcorn and snack food that is exclusive to BSA in the United States and Canada. Trails End items are produced by the Weaver Company, a family-owned popcorn maker headquartered in Indiana. For a complete list of ingredients for each item we sell go to: Trails End Nutritional Information and Kosher Certificates.

What about that pricing?

Essentially, selling popcorn is a way for scouts to solicit donations for Troop, for the Council, and for members of the United States military. The popcorn gives the scouts a physical object that they can use to approach people for support. You can think of it as a conversation or a "thank you" gift. The price reflects that.

For example, when a customer purchases a "Military Donation," the items that they order are sent to "Soldiers' Angels" who distributes it to members of the military. In that instance, BSA receives a donation equivalent to 73% of the purchase price and the donor receives a 100% tax deduction for the cost of the popcorn.

Trail's End pricing is not market rate. Only 25-27% of the item cost actually pays for the popcorn itself: production, packaging, overhead, and the Trail's End electronic system. Obviously that same popcorn would be much cheaper if people bought it in the store. However, when people order from YOU they are making a donation to scouting.

Where does the money go?

The purchase price of Trails End products covers the cost to produce the popcorn (about 25-27%). The rest of what a customer pays goes directly to local scouting, split between the council and the troop. In Troop 5 and Troop 5G we split the Troop proceeds (about 34% of the purchase price) between the general fund and the Scout. Half goes to the Troop to pay for gear, supplies, and to help pay for campouts, etc. The other half goes to the “campership fund” of the specific Scout who made the sale.

In other words, roughly every $500 of popcorn that a Scout sells provides about $150 for the local council, $75 for the Troop’s general fund, and $75 for the individual scout towards their summer camp cost. Council funds go to pay council staff, maintain scout camp facilities, pay for merit badge days, and provide scholarships to our members.

Once a Scout has fully funded their individual campership fund, any additional amount goes to the Troop’s general fund. Additionally, once a Scout sells $2,500 in popcorn (in any given year), 6% (six percent) of their total sales for that year and all future years goes to fund their personal college scholarship from Trails End. Scouts need to register with the program to do this. More information about the the Trails End Scholarship Program.

How do people buy popcorn from me?

There are four types of transactions.

• Online Sales: customers purchase popcorn directly from Trails End through the Scouts web page. Benefits: larger donation back to the Scouts, fully automated process for recording orders; automatic delivery from Trail's End.
• Pre-orders: customers purchase popcorn from a Scout for future delivery and the Scout.
• Wagon Sales: These are individual Scout sales that the Scout records in the App or in their web account. Customers can either choose to pay later (for pre-ordered products) or pay at the time they place the order. Benefits: App orders are automatically synced to the Scout's Trail's End account; when you use the App, customers can pay with cash or credit/debit cards.
• Storefront Sales: sales made during group fundraising events. Customers buy popcorn, pay for it, and pick it up at the time of the sale. Benefits: payment for all sales are split evenly among the participating Scouts; customers can pay by cash/card; customers take immediately delivery.

How do I record orders?

Scouts record or "take in" orders using the App (Trails End app) or the Dashboard (while logged into their Trails End account). Each scout also receives a paper order sheet to record orders. You also need to record these orders into your Trails End web account. Instructions for recording orders.

When customers place Online Orders at your public-facing page on the Trails End website, this process is automatic. You will automatically get credit for online orders that someone makes at the page. There is no need for you to record those orders.

What are the Group Fundraising Events (a.k.a. "show and sells")?

Ms. Lowen is working with Ann Arbor businesses to schedule times in October when Troop 5 and Troop 5G will fundraise at their locations. We are currently working to enter the list of times, dates, and locations in the Trails End system.

To fundraise in this way, Scouts need to sign up via Trails End in advance and arrive to 10 minutes early to their shifts prepared to fundraise. That means wearing the Class A uniform, being familiar with the products, and being ready to charm!

An adult must also be present to supervise, answer questions, and help with transporting the Scout(s), the popcorn, and a table. To comply with safe scouting guidelines, we need at least one adult leader and two Scouts per shift. Alternatively, a single Scout can fundraise with a single adult if that adult is their parent/guardian.

More information about group fundraising events.

How do I fundraise door to door?

Scouts can go door-to-door in their neighborhoods to fundraise. We are currently working to enter a list of times, dates, and locations in the Trails End system. You can also organization a wagon sale in your own neighborhood.

To fundraise in this way, Scouts need to wear their Class A uniforms and be ready to charm!

An adult must also be present (at a distance as appropriate) to supervise, answer questions, and to help with transporting the popcorn. To comply with safe scouting guidelines, we need at least one adult leader and two Scouts per shift. Alternatively, a single Scout can fundraise with a single adult if that adult is their parent/guardian.

More information about wagon sales.

How much will we sell?

According to our council representative, the most popular items are the $10 caramel corn and $20 cheese varieties. Larger items (e.g. gift tin sets) are often purchased by family members.

On average, show-and-sell shifts generate $100-200/hour. Online sales generate even revenue for Troops and their Scouts: avg. sale is about $65.

What is a reasonable goal?

Simply participating in the sale is a huge step, especially for the first time!

Trails End offers prizes to Scouts who reach specific sales tiers. More information about prizes.

Selling $500 = 25% of the cost of summer camp (approx. $150)

Selling $1,000 = 50% of the cost of summer camp (approx. $150)

Selling $2,000 = 100% of the summer camp (approx. $300)

Selling $2,500 = $250 towards your Scout’s college scholarship fund. Once a Scout has met this minimum requirement, Trails End will then contribute 6% (six percent) of ALL their sales for ALL future years to that scholarship fund.

Selling $47,000 = one semester of in-state tuition at U-M (at current rates). Sound ridiculous? Before you laugh out loud, consider that a Scout in Lansing sold $88,000 in popcorn in 2018. In one year that Scout raised more than $13k for his college fund!

What is the difference between an "Online Order" and an order that I enter online at my dashboard at Trails End or on the app?

Dashboard: When a Scout registers with Trails End they get a web account where they can enter their orders, track sales, inventory, and delivery, and sign up for fundraising events. This is called the "Dashboard". (The Dashboard is where you enter pre-orders when people haven't yet paid. )

App: Scouts (and/or their parents) can also download the Trails End app to their mobile device. Similar to the Dashboard, they can use it to track their sales, etc. But the app also allows scouts to take credit card payments! You don't need to have Square. You can enter the card information manually.

Online Orders: When a Scout registers with Trails End they also get a personal product order page. This is a public-facing page where people can place orders directly from Trails End through the Scout. This is the link that you send to people via email and social media. The Scout gets credits for these sales automatically and Trails End fulfills the order; scouts don't need to record the order or delivery the product. These are "Online Orders."

Are purchases tax deductible?

According to BSA and Trails End, 73-75% (seventy-five percent) of the purchase price of represents a charitable donation.

100% (one-hundred percent) of the price of a “Military Donation” is tax-deductible.

Trails End provides receipts via email. If your customer wants a receipt, be sure to enter in their contact information at the time of the sale and select the option to send receipt.

More information: https://www.trails-end.com/faqs

What items have gluten? Which ones are gluten-free?

Trail's End products do not contain any material from barley, rye or oats. But the White Chocolatey Pretzels and Milk Chocolatey Pretzels contain wheat gluten. The following products are manufactured in a facility that handles wheat: Popping Corn, Caramel Corn, Premium Caramel Corn with Almonds, Cashews & Pecans, Milk Chocolate Pecan Clusters, Salted Caramel Corn, Chocolatey Caramel Crunch, Jalapeno Cheddar, Yellow Cheddar and White Cheddar.

What Trail's End products contain nuts?

The Premium Caramel Corn with Almonds, Cashews & Pecans contains nut ingredients as well as the Milk Chocolate Pecan Clusters. The following products are manufactured in a facility that handles nuts: Popping Corn, Caramel Corn, Salted Caramel Corn, Chocolatey Caramel Crunch, White Chocolatey Pretzels, Milk Chocolatey Pretzels, Jalapeno Cheddar, Yellow Cheddar and White Cheddar.

What Trail's End products contain milk?

Our White Cheddar, Yellow Cheddar, Jalapeno Cheddar, Milk Chocolate Pecan Clusters, Chocolatey Caramel Crunch, White Chocolatey Pretzels, Milk Chocolatey Pretzels, Unbelievable Butter Microwave and Kettle Corn Microwave all contain milk. The caramel products and popcorn are all manufactured in a facility that handles milk ingredients.

Why do scouts sell popcorn?

• To fund the Troop: popcorn sales help us purchase equipment and supplies.
• Earn your way to summer camp: proceeds pay for the individual scout to attend camp.
• Build a college fund.
• Recruit new scouts.
• Practice public speaking.
• Reflect on why scouting is important to you.
• Win prizes!

How can parents help?

Supervise show-and-sell events and door-to-door sales.

Help your Scout choose a fundraising goal and draft a fundraising script.

Track your Scouts sales via the app and/or paper order sheet.

Circulate your Scout’s order sheet at work.

Promote your Scout’s online sales by sending a link to their Trails End page to your social media network.

Keep track of your Scout’s order sheet, cash and check payments, and popcorn inventory.

Purchase popcorn to give as holiday gifts to your co-workers, neighbors, postal carrier, dog groomer, etc.

How do I get more information?

Contact your SPL, ScoutMaster, or the Popcorn Kernels at: Troop5popcornsales [at] gmail.com

Troop 5G Popcorn Kernel: Ms. Lowen

Troop 5 Popcorn Kernel: Mr. Forman

Additional Resources:

https://michiganscouting.org/popcorn2019/

Fundraising Videos Produces by BSA to Help You with the Popcorn Sale

Trail's End Training Resources