電影不上映!美國戲院爆米花大滯銷

A moviegoer eats popcorn at Mission Tiki drive-in theater in Montclair, Calif., Thursday, May 28, 2020. California moved to further relax its coronavirus restrictions and help the battered economy. Flea markets, swap meets and drive-in movie theaters can resume operations. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A moviegoer eats popcorn at Mission Tiki drive-in theater in Montclair, Calif., Thursday, May 28, 2020. California moved to further relax its coronavirus restrictions and help the battered economy. Flea markets, swap meets and drive-in movie theaters can resume operations. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

打從經濟大蕭條時期蔚為風潮以來,每當影迷走進戲院時總是不忘人手一包爆米花;然而隨著疫情一路延燒至今,美國戲院也落得門可羅雀,而美國爆米花商如今更是叫苦連天。

儘管在封城期間,人人苦守家中無事可做,也促使微波爆米花品牌的銷售數字一路呈雙位數成長;但家用爆米花和商用爆米花分為兩種截然不同的通路,而後者非但沒有跟各大超商雜貨店簽約鋪貨,品牌形象也不為一般大眾所熟悉。

有別於隨手都買得到的家用微波爆米花,商用爆米花品牌往往都得仰賴兩大銷售熱季,那就是暑期商業大片和冬季金獎電影。而在疫情肆虐之下,美國觀眾如今紛紛拒戲院而遠之,也導致商用爆米花大為滯銷。

Concessions workers stock the bins with popcorn and other treats as the theatre opens for some of the first showings at the AMC theatre when it re-opened for the first time since shutting down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in West Homestead, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Concessions workers stock the bins with popcorn and other treats as the theatre opens for some of the first showings at the AMC theatre when it re-opened for the first time since shutting down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in West Homestead, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

華盛頓郵報指出,全美最大戲院爆米花品牌之一Preferred Popcorn如今已添購了七座全新筒倉,好儲存這些賣不出去的穀物,總共可以容納近一千六百萬磅玉米粒,約等同於八千萬桶爆米花。

根據美國爆米花委員會(Popcorn Board)的資料顯示,全美的爆米花有七成是在家中食用,另外三成則是在戲院和其他活動上消費;但玉米粒頂多只能儲存一年,否則穀粒內部濕度就會蒸發,無法再製成爆米花。

隨著疫情遲遲不見好轉,在各大片商紛紛抽走旗下強片的同時,勒緊腰帶苦苦支撐的不只是戲院業界,現在就連爆米花商和玉米農民也慘遭池魚之殃。

※圖:AP.文:血紅蘭姆.歡迎加入Y!電影粉絲團,接收更多Movie訊息!