A small footprint, few overhead costs and a simple product have contributed to a fast-pace growth for Doc Popcorn, a fresh-popped, all-natural flavored kettle corn concept.

During the first quarter of 2011, Doc Popcorn awarded nine franchise agreements representing 60 new units – a record for the company. With a pipeline that now has more than 100 new locations under development from Alaska to Rhode Island, the brand is positioned for exponential expansion in 2011 and beyond.

Doc Popcorn was founded in 2003 by Rob and Renee Israel. The couple spent six years learning the quick-service market and ironing out the kinks before starting to franchise in 2009. At the time, there were 11 units in high-traffic areas throughout Colorado, where the company is headquartered.

There are almost 30 Doc Popcorns in 22 states and Washington, D.C., But that number is just a fraction of where the brand will be by year's end.

After six years of trial and error and two years of franchising, the Israels finally believe they have a "solid ROI model."

"We think we have a very affordable and efficient operation that appeals to a variety of people who want to get into this game. We struggled and scratched our heads a lot in the beginning and we're still evolving, but we truly believe our branding is in place and we're confident in our brand," Rob said. "We needed the right partners to guide us strategically and the right model and we now have all of those dynamics and the foundation is ready to go."