SIOUX CITY, Iowa, Jan. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 1935, families around the world have been getting buttery fingerprint stains on MONOPOLY dollars, and popcorn bowls have been flipped over hotels placed on Boardwalk. That's why today, JOLLY TIME Pop Corn – a 100-year-old, fifth-generation family-owned company – has publicly released a salty letter petitioning Hasbro to offer the option of a popcorn game piece.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130118/CG44852)

Written by JOLLY TIME CEO Garry Smith to Hasbro President and CEO Brian Goldner, the letter is a response to Hasbro's consumer campaign to vote a current MONOPOLY game token into retirement and add a new one. Citing the tradition of popcorn and game night for generations, Smith pleads in the letter with Goldner to offer a popcorn game piece option along with the recently proposed additions of cat, helicopter, robot, guitar and ring.

"For nearly 100 years, our brand has been synonymous with fun, and yet you have us crying into our kernels at the blatant exclusion of food from your game piece additions," wrote Smith in his letter. "Game night without JOLLY TIME Pop Corn is criminal—and you should go directly to jail for this callous mistake. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200."

The letter goes on to plead a strong case for a popcorn game piece and points to the issues associated with the currently proposed new game pieces, such as materialism (ring), inability to love (robot), devastating allergies (cat), with other negative associations like war (helicopter) and on-stage musician tantrums (guitar).

In summation of his case for a popcorn game piece, Smith begs for Hasbro to make amends while there's still time. The company is expected to tally consumer votes and make decisions on the game piece retirement and addition on Feb. 5.

"Say it's not too late," Smith pleads. "MONOPOLY is fun. Popcorn is fun. The two must join forces for future generations of game night players."

Signed "in popcorn and in truth," the letter fuels the drama already burning around this emotional and historic event. Generations of families everywhere continue to plead the fate of their favorite game tokens, the tiny silver pieces that represent them in the harsh, cut-throat MONOPOLY world of real estate and merciless business negotiations.

Will Mr. Smith's letter to Hasbro be what pops JOLLY TIME into the heated competition? Only time will tell if a new popcorn game piece will pass "GO" with Hasbro.

Sign the Petition
On behalf of the popcorn you've shared over a game with your grandma or the handfuls you've thrown at your sister, fight for the future of game night fun. Sign JOLLY TIME's petition to Hasbro today at http://www.Facebook.com/JollyTimePopCorn/app_297084673727680.

For the full letter from JOLLY TIME to Hasbro, visit http://www.Facebook.com/JollyTimePopCorn/app_521129407931734.

About JOLLY TIME Pop Corn
The American Pop Corn Company of Sioux City, Iowa, is an independent and family-owned company that, for nearly 100 years, has produced and marketed JOLLY TIME Pop Corn, the first branded popcorn ever produced. JOLLY TIME offers a variety of traditional and microwave popcorn products in grocery stores nationwide and has the only microwave popcorn endorsed by Weight Watchers. JOLLY TIME Pop Corn is completely gluten free and is produced using GMO-free popcorn. Learn more at www.jollytime.com.

SOURCE JOLLY TIME Pop Corn