The Latest Buzz: Caffeinated Popcorn

(Nov. 24) -- Next time you find yourself dozing off in the middle of a boring movie at home, there's only one logical solution: stuff your face with popcorn -- caffeinated popcorn, to be precise.

For the past several months, Amanda Fitch and her husband, Matthew, have been generating quite the buzz from a business they started on a whim right in their own kitchen.

Tired of drinking endless energy drinks, coffee and diet soda to stay vitalized throughout their busy day, the twosome experimented with adding caffeine to their favorite snack -- popcorn -- as a little afternoon pick-me-up.

What eventually popped up was BioFUEL, tasty, caffeine-infused popcorn meant to give fatigued folks a jolt whenever they need it most.

A photo provided by the manufacturer shows the caffeinated popcorn products from BioFuel.

Courtesy of Summit Photo of New Hampshire

BioFUEL caffeine-infused popcorn was created to give fatigued folks a jolt whenever they need it.

"A regular bag of BioFUEL has as much caffeine in it as a strong cup of coffee," Fitch told AOL News. "It's sweet, salty and loaded with energy."

Here's how it works: Fitch said each bag of BioFUEL is loaded with a special, top-secret "proprietary blend" of all-natural ingredients, including caffeine derived directly from coffee beans.

However, the popcorn itself tastes nothing like a cup of Joe, so therein lies the mystery.

"It took us a really long time to figure out how to get the caffeine into the popcorn without it tasting bitter. We tried over and over again, making tons of different batches in our kitchen until it finally tasted good. We worked really hard figuring out the formula, so we can't share all the secrets," Fitch teased. "But there are no preservatives in there at all, it's all-natural."

Though the concept for the energizing popcorn has been in the works since 2008, Fitch said they started selling BioFUEL domestically and internationally in April.

Already, it seems customers can't get enough of the addictive sweet and salty stuff, since Fitch has been flooded with nonstop orders from all over the world.

"We get a lot of repeat customers who are hooked on BioFUEL. They say the popcorn is so good they can't stop eating it. Some have even likened BioFUEL to cocaine. It's that addicting," Fitch said.

So far, she said the product is poppin' among office drones looking for a quick energy boost at work in the afternoon. Instead of reaching for sugary energy drinks, they pop a mouthful of BioFUEL to wake up.

"It's a healthier, more effective alternative to energy drinks. There's no crash from all the sugar later. Something about the combination of caffeine and complex carbohydrates in the popcorn just works," Fitch said. "It's a time-released formula, so the energy lasts awhile."

Fitch said BioFUEL is also popular among college students who stay up late studying for exams. Hard-core "gamers" have also taken a liking to the snack, eating it to stay alert during their intense, all-night video game sessions.

It's also a hit with parents who need a boost before playtime.

Fitch snacks on BioFUEL to keep up with her energetic 4- and 6-year-old sons, and her husband eats the popcorn as a preworkout snack before hitting the gym in the evenings.

Eventually, Fitch hopes to get BioFUEL into movie theaters, so people can stay awake during really boring movies. For now, she said the popcorn does a fine job of curbing yawns on the couch during a movie night at home.

Though original BioFUEL has plenty of kick, Fitch said the biggest seller is BioFUEL XL, a super-caffeinated version that contains as much caffeine as two cups of coffee.

"People who have a long day ahead of them love the idea that they can eat XL popcorn to get through it. It's a fun concept."

Fitch also offers decaf BioFUEL for kids, so little ones aren't bouncing off the walls.

"It tastes just like regular BioFUEL, but it's better suited for kids. I wouldn't give the regular kind to children or they may be wired all night. No parent wants that!" Fitch said.