2024 – What a Year!
As Comeback Snacks approaches its 5th year in business—YES, it’s hard to believe it’s already been that long—we are incredibly proud of how far we’ve come. January is a big month for us. Not only is it International Popcorn Day, but it’s also what I personally call Comeback Day on January 16.
Why January 16, you ask? Well, that’s the day I went to prison—a day that became my chance to reinvent myself. It also happened to be my mom’s birthday, and on that day, I gave her the gift of seeing me embark on a fresh start. I was ready to go and, oddly enough, looking forward to it. I knew it was now or never.
I truly believe anyone can reinvent themselves at any time. The key is to really want to make those changes, even when they’re hard. So, for anyone searching for inspiration—know this: new beginnings can come from anywhere, even prison.
That being said, here are some of my favorite accomplishments from 2024:
-
Building an incredible store sampling team: These wonderful individuals drive to stores and share our product with customers. The best part? They’re all people I met in prison. There’s no better feeling than seeing others succeed when someone believes in them and gives them a chance.
-
Launching in nearly 100 stores in the West: From Vancouver Island all the way to Edmonton! I was lucky enough to visit, and it’s amazing to see the Comeback support growing from coast to coast. The scenery out there is stunning too!
-
Receiving the Local Supplier Award from Sobeys: This was a complete surprise! Working with Sobeys has been fantastic. Fun fact: they invited me to be the keynote speaker at their conference in April, where I had the privilege of sharing my story with hundreds of Sobeys and Foodland store managers from across Ontario.
-
Getting my first tabloid cover story: This feature appeared in a publication all the way in the United Kingdom. And guess what? It was actually a nice article—rare for a tabloid!
-
Launching in Indigo Books: This has been a long-time dream of mine, as I’ve always loved reading. Books played a huge role in my prison journey—I read 82 books while I was there and even met several of the authors after I got out!
As we kick off the new year, I want to thank YOU again for being part of this journey. Your support over the years means everything. Here’s to a wonderful start to the year and many more adventures to come!
Warmly,
Emily O’Brien