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Have you ever glanced at a bag of candy corn and thought, “Who actually enjoys these?”
If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. Despite its polarizing nature, an astonishing 9 billion kernels of candy corn—more than 35 million pounds—are sold annually, as reported by the National Confectioners Association.
This raises numerous questions: Who buys it? Where is it most popular? And perhaps most intriguingly, why?
Using insights from Google Trends, we identified the states most enamored with candy corn and attempted to uncover the reasons behind this curious confectionery affection:
Most Interesting Findings
- Iowa ranks as the state most obsessed with candy corn, followed closely by Missouri and West Virginia.
- Missouri is home to candy corn manufacturing, which explains its popularity there, but what about Iowa and West Virginia?
- The states least enamored with candy corn include: Hawaii, Montana, and South Dakota.
- Jelly Belly employs 420 workers, while Brach’s employs around 2,400.
- Candy corn retails for approximately $8.99 per pound (a questionable investment for many).
- Candy corn was first introduced in the 1880s by the infamous candy innovator, George Renninger.
- The Goelitz Confectionery Company, known today as Jelly Belly Candy, began making candy corn at the turn of the 20th century.
- Originally dubbed “Chicken Feed,” candy corn was marketed with the slogan: “Something worth crowing for.”
- In a single eight-hour shift, Jelly Belly produces an impressive 28,000 pounds of candy corn.
- Despite its name, the only corn ingredient in candy corn is high fructose corn syrup.
- Not all candy corn is created equal: different manufacturers have unique recipes. For instance, Brach’s incorporates honey.
- To prolong sales, manufacturers have introduced seasonal variations such as Reindeer Corn for Christmas, Cupid Corn for Valentine’s Day, and Bunny Corn for Easter.
Top 10 Candy Corn Obsessed States
How We Determined This
Determining candy corn’s fan base was straightforward. We utilized Google Trends to analyze which states showed the highest search interest in candy corn.
We focused on data from the previous year, allowing each state ample time to showcase their candy corn enthusiasm. Given that candy corn has become a year-round topic of interest, this approach captures a comprehensive view of its confectionery seasons.
Related searches include queries like “candy corn squishmallow,” “candy corn ceramic tree,” and “candy corn fudge.” Many are just as puzzled as we are, leading to questions such as “What does it taste like?” and “What is candy corn made of?”
A concerning trend has emerged with searches asking, “Can dogs eat candy corn?” Perhaps a more pertinent question is should dogs eat candy corn? The likely answer is no, unless you have a very different idea of pet care.
BUT WHY? Candy Corn, A Controversial Classic
So, what drives the purchase of candy corn?
Lisa Brasher, President and CEO of the Jelly Belly Candy Company, a leading candy corn producer, stated in an interview with USA Today, “Candy corn is a nostalgic item. Many people grew up with candy corn during their childhood and now wish to share that experience with their children.”
This blend of tradition and the occasional outlier who genuinely enjoys the candy keeps its sales robust.
That said, you’re free to enjoy whatever candy you prefer. But can we collectively agree not to let candy corn dominate every holiday and season?
We certainly don’t need Pilgrim Toes or whatever they might call it for Thanksgiving.
Most Candy Corn Eating States
| Rank | State |
|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa |
| 2 | Missouri |
| 2 | West Virginia |
| 4 | Indiana |
| 4 | Kentucky |
| 6 | Wisconsin |
| 7 | Idaho |
| 8 | Nebraska |
| 9 | Oklahoma |
| 10 | Utah |
| 11 | Kansas |
| 11 | New Hampshire |
| 13 | North Dakota |
| 13 | Ohio |
| 15 | Maine |
| 15 | Pennsylvania |
| 17 | Connecticut |
| 18 | Minnesota |
| 19 | Alabama |
| 20 | Colorado |
| 21 | Virginia |
| 22 | Wyoming |
| 22 | Illinois |
| 22 | Tennessee |
| 25 | North Carolina |
| 25 | Arkansas |
| 25 | Arizona |
| 25 | Michigan |
| 29 | Nevada |
| 30 | New Jersey |
| 31 | Delaware |
| 31 | Rhode Island |
| 31 | Massachusetts |
| 31 | Texas |
| 31 | Oregon |
| 36 | Washington |
| 37 | Vermont |
| 38 | Mississippi |
| 39 | Maryland |
| 39 | South Carolina |
| 41 | New Mexico |
| 42 | Louisiana |
| 43 | Alaska |
| 43 | Georgia |
| 45 | Florida |
| 45 | California |
| 47 | New York |
| 47 | South Dakota |
| 49 | Montana |
| 50 | Hawaii |
Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
