What’s Candy Corn?

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Candy Corn is a small package that resembles a real kernel of corn. Invented in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company, it has evolved into a popular Halloween favorite. Mass production of this candy was picked up by the Jelly Belly Candy Company and continues year-round production and sales to this day.

Candy corn was originally handcrafted by men whose work was specifically designated to do eight months of each year. The suspension of sugar, the fudge and the marshmallows that were part of its ingredients gave it a familiar texture and softness. The mixture was poured into shaped molds which required three passes to achieve its final tricolor scheme.

Today, an equivalent process and ingredient list is used, except that machines have come to replace manual labor. For example, rock candy is now largely made up of sugar, corn syrup, honey, and Carnauba wax, which is a plant-derived wax that acts as an aid in formulation. The machines that make this candy do their work in depressed trays coated with cornstarch. The kernels are made bottom up in the three steps. After the layers close, the trays are emptied after cooling and the resulting candies are ready for packing and shipping.

While the classic candy corn color scheme is yellow at the bottom, orange in the center, and white at the tip, manufacturers have come up with variations of themes based on major holidays. The Thanksgiving festivities bring “Indian Candy Corn,” which replaces the yellow background with brown. The Christmas season has “Corn Reindeer,” which contains red and green instead of yellow and orange. “Cupid Corn,” which replaces yellow and orange with red and pink, is sold around Valentine’s Day, and multi-colored “Bunny Corn” appears around the Easter holiday. Also in the United States, National Candy Corn Day is celebrated on October 30, the day before Halloween.

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