Love it or hate it, one sure way to know that fall is here is the arrival of candy corn on store shelves. Those who love the tri-colored kernels say they enjoy the sweet taste and the candy reminds them of Halloween. But those that dislike it cite a waxy texture or say it is too sweet, the most common complaints on Facebook. Halloween kicks off the candy season that lasts through Christmas, Valentine’s Day and ends at Easter. According to the National Retailers Federation’s 2011 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, 70% of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween, and 73.5% of adults will hand out candy. Clearly not everyone hates candy corn. According to the National Confectioners Association, more than 35 million pounds will be produced this year – that is nearly 9 billion pieces – enough to circle the moon nearly 21 times if laid end-to-end, the NCA says. Here are some fun facts about candy corn:
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George Renniger, an employee at the Wunderlee Candy Company in
the 1880s, invented candy corn. In 1900, the Goelitz Candy Company (now
known as Jelly Belly Candy Company) started producing the confection,
and still produces the candy today.
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The candy corn the Jelly Belly Candy Company makes is
vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free. However it’s not vegan
because they do use beeswax to create shine on the candy.
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An unopened package will last about nine months, according to
the NCA. An opened package – stored properly – will last approximately
three to six months.
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Each kernel has about 4 calories. One serving of candy corn contains only about 140 calories.
