American Pop Corn history

The Smiths soon realized that popcorn aged and dried for a year popped better than new corn; and in 1915 a larger building was built to provide ventilation to help the corn dry.

After Howard graduated from high school in 1916, he joined the company on a full-time basis as well.

In 1924, Jolly Time transitioned metal cans which were ideal for sealing in moisture.

American Pop Corn introduced Jolly Time in a red, white, and blue can in 1925, which carried the message, "It's guaranteed to pop!" The company hired Jim Coates to promote the product to brokers and the company's first national advertising campaign coincided with the new packaging.

In 1927, the company introduced the pop corn pail.

In 1929 the company sold more than ten million pounds of popcorn.

The Smith family encountered its own difficulties in 1931 when the storage crib in Sioux City burned to the ground.

First cultivation of corn at Arlington Farm, Virginia, May 26, 1939.

Percy Spencer, Raytheon Manufacturing Corporation, figured out how to mass-produce magnetrons which were being used to generate microwaves for use in World War II. Looking for post-war applications of Raytheon technology, Spencer spurred the development of the microwave oven in 1946.

In 1948, small heads of the zea mays everta were discovered by Herbert Dick and Earle Smith in a dry cave known as the “bat cave.” Several individually popped kernels were also discovered.

1949: Sales double in two years as company sells 500,000 cases of popcorn in ten-ounce cans.

Also, popcorn was a cheap food for those living during the Great Depression, yet this did not damage pop corn's imaging during the economic boom following World War II. In 1953, the Floyd River flooded and much of Sioux City was under water.

For 26 weeks during the fall and winter of 1956–57 the company advertised on Arthur Godfrey's national radio show.

In 1957 the company began to sell popcorn in a polyethylene bag that provided moisture-proof containment and durability to minimize tears.

Godfrey himself endorsed Jolly Time Pop Corn as "the world's best." In 1958 the company offered a hand-carved Black Forest Clock for $1.50 plus a lid or label from a package of Jolly Time popcorn.

Consumers liked the container, so the company introduced an Economy Size 20-ounce can in 1959.

The company hired Shelby Johnstone as a full-time national sales representative in 1971 and began to publish Jolly Time News to provide brokers with information about new programs and new products.

In 1972 Johnstone launched an annual display contest, to encourage grocers to attract attention to Jolly Time products.

1973: Jolly Time logo is updated with a sleek style.

Jolly Time Instant Buttery Seasoning, launched in 1974, provided an easy way to add butter and salt to popcorn, as well as meats and vegetables.

Sheinwold, Patricia Fox, Jolly Time Party Book: Games, Puzzles, Recand Creative Party Ideas for All Occasions, Cambridge, Mass.: Dorison House Publishers, 1977.

Wrede's son Garry became president and Carlton, son of Chesley, who died in 1978, became chairman.

In the early 1980's, microwave popcorn was born into the popcorn family and home popcorn consumption increased by tens of thousands of pounds in the years following.

In 1981, microwave popcorn was introduced to the American people, and at-home popcorn consumption once again spiked upwards.

By 1988 the boom in sales of microwave popcorn required construction of another production facility.

In 1997 American Pop Corn launched a new packaging and marketing concept to emphasize fun, especially family fun.

"Jolly Time on Mission to Find America's Most Fun Family," PR Newswire, November 1, 2000.

"Jolly Time Pop Corn Introduces America's Most Fun Family," Pr Newswire, June 21, 2001.

They sold their one-billionth bag of microwave popcorn in 2003.