"Chicken Feed" was the original name of the candy with production starting in the 1880s. Wunderle Candy Company was the first to produce the candy in 1888. Following the 19th century, the Goelitz Confectionery Company manufactured the product. Along with other agriculture-inspired treats at the time in the late 19th century, America's confectioners sought to market candy corn to a largely rural society. Candy corn is a staple of the Fall season and Halloween holiday in the United States of America. The taste of candy corn can be described as somewhat polarizing, and has been a subject of wide debate.
Originally the candy was made by hand. Manufacturers first combined sugar, corn syrup, carnauba wax, and water and cooked them to form a slurry. Fondant was added for texture and marshmallows were added to provide a soft bite. The final mixture was then heated and poured into shaped molds. Three passes, one for each colored section, were required during the pouring process. The recipe remains basically the same today. The production method, called "corn starch modeling," likewise remains the same, though tasks initially performed by hand were soon taken over by machines made for that purpose. As of 2016, annual production in the United States is 35 million pounds, or almost 9 billion pieces of candy.
Variants
A popular variation called "Indian corn" features a chocolate brown wide end, orange center and pointed white tip, often available around Thanksgiving. During the Halloween season, blackberry cobbler candy corn can be found in eastern Canada. Confectioners have introduced additional color variations suited to other holidays. The Christmas variant typically has a red end and a green center; the Valentine's Day variant typically has a red end and a pink center; In the United States during Independence Day celebrations, corn with a blue end, white center, and red tip can be found at celebratory cook outs and patriotic celebrations; the Easter variant is typically only a two-color candy, and comes with a variety of pastel bases with white tips all in one package. There were/are also caramel apple and green apple, s'mores and pumpkin spice, carrot corn and birthday cake candy corn flavors.
