Candy corn was invented by Wunderlee Candy Company employee George Renninger in the 1880s, then popularized by the Goelitz Confectionery Company (now the Jelly Belly Candy Co.). At the time, it was known as “Chicken Feed,” which makes sense because chickens eat corn, right?
Today, Brach’s Confections is the largest manufacturer of the treat, making ~7B pieces per year, per Fox Business. In 2018, Brach’s sold $73m+ worth.
This year, total Halloween candy sales have already hit $324m as of Oct. 4, up 48% from the same period in 2020, per the National Confectioners Association.
So it could be a big year for candy corn, assuming that Ferrara — the Chicago-based company that owns Brach’s — can recover from a ransomware attack earlier this month that’s been causing order issues.
Who eats this stuff anyhow?
Brach’s recently looked at sales data to determine which states buy the most candy corn:
1. California
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. New York
5. Michigan
Meanwhile, the states that buy the least include:
1. Alabama
2. Hawaii
3. Nebraska
4. Vermont
5. Wisconsin
If you haven’t had any candy corn yet, don’t despair. The treat is made in a variety of holiday flavors, including — this is not a joke — Thanksgiving Dinner + Apple Pie and Coffee.
Recently, brave taste tester Heather Martin’s review of the candy went viral. She called the stuffing flavor “an unrepentant violation of the Geneva Convention,” and the green beans option “unforgivable.”
