The Popcorn Factory wants you to create their next new flavor!

I was really excited to get information on this contest and to be selected as a participating blogger! Popcorn is a favorite snack of mine and I really love so many of the new flavors that I've tried from companies in recent years. It goes way beyond the butter flavor. The Popcorn Factory is looking for recipes from YOU for their next new flavor! It's their way of celebrating National Popcorn Month!

Go to this link to enter your recipe - https://www.facebook.com/thepopcornfactory?v=app_181335378572390&rest=1. If you are selected a finalist, you'll be invited to the Flavor-Off Finals in Chicago on October 10 where a grand prize winner will be selected!

HOW IT WORKS

1.     NOW through September 27: Readers of Chicago Foodie Sisters are invited to submit their most creative popcorn flavor recipe!

·         The sky’s the limit!* After all, The Popcorn Factory has created such concoctions as Bacon Cheddar Popcorn, Cinnamon Candy Popcorn and even Chicago Hot Dog Corn!  (Just no recipes with alcohol.)

·         Reader recipes should use our Butter, Cheese or Sea Salt Slim as their base flavor

·        Entries accepted until Friday, September 27 at 5pm CT; all submissions will be accepted via Facebook.com/ThePopcornFactory (http://bit.ly/18Th7Ge)!

2.     Join us in Chicago on Thursday, October 10!

·         Three Flavor Finalists will be announced on Monday, September 30

·         The Flavor-Off Finals will take place in Chicago (location to be announced) on October 10 from 1:30pm to 3pm

·         Three reader finalists will be invited to prepare their recipes on-site (we’ll buy the ingredients!)

·         Participating bloggers will be invited to judge the contest (that's me!!!) And a grand prize winner will be selected.

·         Grand Prize:

o    $500

o    Our Popcorneers will go to work – turning your flavor into the next fantastic surprise from The Popcorn Factory!

o    Ten samples of your new flavor to share with friends (upon release)

·         First Prize: $250 gift card to The Popcorn Factory

·         Second Prize: $100 gift card to The Popcorn Factory

Good luck! Get those entries in today!!!!!!!!

And keep reading for all the fine print:

The Popcorn Factory® WHAT’S YOUR FLAVOR? Contest

OFFICIAL RULES.  NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  

OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE CONTINIENTIAL UNITED STATES

WHO ARE 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AS OF DATE OF ENTRY AND HAVE OR OPEN A 

FACEBOOK ACCOUNT.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

1. Contest Period / Contest Entry Period: The Popcorn Factory® What’s Your Flavor Contest (the “Contest”) begins at 11:59 am Eastern Time (“ET”) on September 10^th, 2013 and ends at 5pm ET on September 27, 2013 (the “Contest Entry Period”). Sponsor's computer is the official time keeping device for this Contest.

1. How to Enter the Contest:  During the Contest Entry Period visit the Contest Tab on The Popcorn Factory Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/thepopcornfactory?ref=br_tf and completes an Contest entry form.  You must have a Facebook account and “Like” The Popcorn Factory Facebook page (if you have not done so already) to enter the Contest.  Accounts are free and can be opened by visiting Facebook.com.

3. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: The Recipe (“Recipe” or “Entry”) submitted a) must be original; b) must be created exclusively by the entrant submitting the Recipe; c) cannot have been previously entered into a contest or published; d) cannot not be awaiting publication nor may it be submitted for publication consideration during or after the period of this Contest; and e) must not violate or infringe the rights of any third party, including but not limited to rights of copyright, trademark, publicity or privacy. The Recipe name may not include any brand name.  Recipe must clearly state all ingredients and must contain either The Popcorn Factory Butter Popcorn, The Popcorn Factory Cheese popcorn or the Popcorn Factory Sea Salt Slim Popcorn as the base flavor.  Recipe must list all ingredients in exact common U.S. household measurements and must simply and clearly state the step-by-step preparation instructions (without use of narrative language). Recipes containing alcohol will NOT be considered. All ingredients must be dry ingredient and must be available in most grocery stores. Recipe must not include branded ingredients.  The Popcorn Flavor, in its entirety, must be an edible product.  Entries must comply with these requirements in Sponsor’s sole discretion, or they will be disqualified.   Limit one entry per person.  

JUDGING: Initial Round judging, based on the written Recipe, will be done by Sponsor’s Director of Popcorn Operations for appropriate use of The Popcorn Factory product and will consider the following criteria equally: creativity, likely taste, visual appeal and ease of preparation. Recipes will not be prepared during Initial Round judging. The entrants that submitted the three recipes that received the highest score in the Initial Round judging will provided transportation to Chicago, Illinois for a Final Round judging on October 10^th, 2013.    During the Final Round the entrants will prepare their recipe for judging by a qualified panel of judges who will judge entries by assigning points based on the following four criteria and point system: creativity (1 to 50 points); taste (1 to 70 points); visual appeal (1 to 50 points); and ease of preparation (1 to 50 points). In the event of a tie the Entries score on “Ease of Preparation” will be used to break the tie.

1. General Entry Information: Entries must be received no later than 5pm ET on September 27^th, 2013.  Winners must be available to travel from the major airport nearest winner’s home to Chicago, Illinois as early as Wednesday October 9^th (if needed) and return Friday October 11^th 2013.  By entering the Contest, all entrants acknowledge and agree that their entries become the sole property of the Sponsor, who thereby has the right to publish, display, edit, adapt, modify, reproduce, promote and otherwise use entries in any way it sees fit, including posting the entries on the Site/Facebook Site for public voting during the Voting Period.  Entries deemed lewd or inappropriate, in Sponsor’s sole discretion will be disqualified. By entering, you understand that the Sponsor also has the exclusive right to use the entries and excerpts of the entries in any future product offering, advertising and promotional materials (visual, sound, print and/or electronic form), including new recipe offerings, posting entries on its Site, Facebook Site and non-affiliated sites.  Entrants may not copy or otherwise plagiarize the Entry from any source. Any Entry or portion thereof that is, in the Sponsor’s sole discretion, obscene, profane, lewd, defamatory, contains any third party materials or proprietary property, or otherwise violates or infringes (or may infringe) any copyright, trademark, trade name, service mark, logo, mark that identifies a brand or other proprietary right of any person living or deceased (including but not limited to rights of privacy or publicity or portrayal in a false light) or entity, or is otherwise objectionable, will not be considered and may disqualify the entrant. Therefore, the Recipe should not contain any trademarks, brands names or other third-party materials. Entrant represents and warrants that: i) all rights to the entry belong to him/her and the entry does not and shall not infringe on any copyright or any other third party right nor violate any applicable law or regulation, (ii) he/she has the right to grant any and all necessary rights and licenses provided herein, including without limitation, all necessary copyright and other related rights to the entry, free and clear of all claims and encumbrances without violating the rights of any person or entity, including any right to privacy or publicity, (iii) he/she hereby holds the Sponsor harmless from and against any third party claim arising from use of the entry and he/she waives any right to inspect or approve uses of the entry or to be compensated for any such uses. 

1. Eligibility: This Contest is open only to legal residents of the continental United States who are 21 years of age or older as of date of entry.  Professional chefs (meaning any person who has been paid for his/her recipes/ cooking), employees and families of The Popcorn Factory, Inc. (“Sponsor”) their subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates and related companies, advertising and promotion agencies, their immediate families are ineligible.  Void where prohibited by law.  All United States federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.

1. Determination of the Winners: The Recipe with the highest point score in the Final Round will be deemed the Grand Prize winner. The entry with the second highest point score in the Final Round will be deemed the First Prize winner, followed by the entry with the third highest point score in the Final Round number of votes as the Second Prize winner.  In the event of a tie, tied entries will be judged based on Ease of preparation and the winner will be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Entrants agree to the Official Rules and the decisions of the Judges, which shall be final and binding in all respects.

1. Prizes and Approximate Retail Values (“ARV”): GRAND PRIZE (1): A 2 Day/1 Night trip for one to compete in the Final Round of the What’s Your Flavor Contest in Chicago Illinois on October 10^th, 2013.  Trip includes round trip coach class airfare, transportation to and from the major airport nearest winner’s home to Chicago, Illinois and hotel accommodations for one.   If the winner lives within two hundred (200) miles of the Chicago Sponsor reserves the right to have winner driven to and from their home in lieu of flying. Total ARV between $350 and $1000 USD based on fluctuation in travel fares depending on winner’s location).  Winner also receives Five Hundred Dollars ($500), the winners recipe will be considered for production and sale nationally (sorry to no guarantees folks) and winner will receive 10 samples of their flavor.  (ARV of approximately $550 USD), Total ARV for the Grand Prize is approximately $900 - $1550 USD).  FIRST PRIZE (1):  A 2 Day/1 Night trip for one to compete in the Final Round of the What’s Your Flavor Contest in Chicago Illinois on October 10^th, 2013.  Trip includes round trip coach class airfare, transportation to and from the major airport nearest winner’s home to Chicago, Illinois and hotel accommodations for one.   If the winner lives within two hundred (200) miles of the Chicago Sponsor reserves the right to have winner driven to and from their home in lieu of flying. Total ARV between $350 and $1000 USD based on fluctuation in travel fares depending on winner’s location).  Winner also receives a $250 Gift certificate to THE POPCORN FACTORY®.  Total ARV for the First Prize is approximately $600 - $1250 USD).SECOND PRIZE (1): A 2 Day/1 Night trip for one to compete in the Final Round of the What’s Your Flavor Contest in Chicago Illinois on October 10^th, 2013.  Trip includes round trip coach class airfare, transportation to and from the major airport nearest winner’s home to Chicago, Illinois and hotel accommodations for one.   If the winner lives within two hundred (200) miles of the Chicago Sponsor reserves the right to have winner driven to and from their home in lieu of flying. Total ARV between $350 and $1000 USD based on fluctuation in travel fares depending on winner’s location).  Winner also receives a $100 Gift certificate to THE POPCORN FACTORY®.   Total ARV for the Second Prize is approximately $450 - $1100 USD).  Total ARV for all prizes is approximately $1,950 - $3900.  Prizes are not transferable; no substitutions or cash equivalents are allowed except by the Sponsor who reserves the right to award a prize of equal or greater value. Sponsor assumes no responsibility or liability, for damages, losses or injury resulting from acceptance or use of any prize. Taxes related to the prizes, if applicable, are the sole responsibility of the individual winners.

All Prize potential winners must be available to travel from the major airport nearest winner’s home to Chicago, Illinois as early as Wednesday October 9^th (if needed) and return Friday October 11^th 2013.  If a potential winner is unable to travel an alternative winner will be selected if time permits.  Winners must execute a Release of Liability prior to departure. All prize winners must possess valid travel documents (i.e., valid government issued photo ID, valid U.S. passport, etc) in order to travel.  All other expenses and costs, not expressly listed above, including, but not limited to, taxes, tips, entertainment, transfers, and transportation to airport to and from home residence are the winner's sole responsibility. 

1. General Rules: Unless otherwise prohibited by law, submission of entry constitutes permission to use the entrant’s name, entry submission (as applicable), likeness and biographical information for advertising and publicity purposes, without further compensation. Potential Grand, First, and Second Prize winners will each be required to sign and return via email/mail, an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability Release, Assignment of Rights and where legal, a Publicity Release within two  (2) days of notification attempt or if affidavit is not returned, prize will be forfeited and an alternate will be determined.  Return of any prize or prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and alternate determination/selection, even if an entry was posted online. All entries will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry.  "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet Access provider, online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.  Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify (and remove any associated votes) any individual that tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry/voting process or the operation of the Contest or Site/Facebook Site; violates the Official Rules; incentivizes for votes or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person.  CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PROSECUTE AND SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.  Sponsor and its agencies are not responsible for technical, hardware or software malfunctions, telephone failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled or delayed electronic communications whether caused by the sender or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest which may limit the ability to participate or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the submissions in this Contest.  Sponsor reserves the right to cancel the Contest or the online voting if it becomes technically corrupted, and award the prizes based on votes received or the following judging criteria: Originality (50%) and most inspiring Entry (50%) (if voting is canceled) from the eligible entries received prior to cancellation.  In the event online voting is cancelled prior to any votes being received, Contest Prizes will go unawarded. Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and judges, which are final and binding. 

1. Winners List: For the names of the winners, visit The Popcorn Factory Facebook page from October 15^th through November 30^th, 2013.

1. Sponsor: The Sponsor of this Contest is THE POPCORN FACTORY INC., 13970 W. Laurel Drive • Lake Forest, IL 60045.  

1. Limitation of Liability:  NEITHER THE POPCORN FACTORY INC., their AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, PARENTS, subsidiaries, OR affiliated COMPANIES, FACEBOOK, AS WELL AS, THEIR advertising and promotion agencies SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY OR GOODWILL.  iN ALL EVENTS, THE SOLE MAXIMUM LIABILITY OF SPONSOR AND ITS AFFILIATES SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE arv OF THE PRIZES SET FORTH HEREIN.

1. Governing Law & Venue:  THE NEW YORK COURTS (STATE & FEDERAL) SHALL HAVE SOLE JURISDICTION OF ANY CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THE CONTEST AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN THE SAME.  EACH ENTRANT WAIVES ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO JURISDICTION AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE VENUE OF THOSE COURTS WITHIN THE COUNTIES OF NASSAU AND SUFFOLK, NEW YORK.

This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor and not to Facebook.