Shocking Truth: Candy Corn Was Originally Called “Chicken Feed” – The Sweet History Behind Halloween’s Most Divisive Treat

Are ya ready for a jaw-dropping Halloween candy fact that’ll make your next party conversation way more interesting? That iconic tri-colored Halloween candy we all know as candy corn wasn’t always called that! Back in the late 1800s, this sugary treat went by a totally different and kinda weird name: “Chicken Feed”!

I’ve been researching candy history for years (ok, maybe just for this article) and I gotta say the origin story of candy corn is pretty darn fascinating. Let’s dive into why this Halloween staple was once named after bird food and how it became the love-it-or-hate-it candy we know today!

The Agricultural Roots of Candy Corn

Back in the 1880s, America was a completely different place. Most folks lived on farms or in rural communities, and agriculture dominated pretty much everything. Candy makers were smart cookies – they realized they could appeal to rural customers by creating sweets that connected to their everyday farm life.

When candy corn was first invented in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderle Candy Company, it wasn’t meant to be a Halloween treat at all. The Wunderle Candy Company first produced it commercially in 1888, but it was the Goelitz Confectionery Company (now known as Jelly Belly) that really made it famous when they started manufacturing it in 1898.

Here’s why they called it “Chicken Feed”

• The candy resembled actual corn kernels that were commonly fed to chickens
• The name emphasized how cheap and affordable the candy was
• The agricultural theme appealed to farming families
• It even came in boxes with a rooster on the front!

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, “At the time, it was called ‘chicken feed.’ Candy corn was then a newly-invented kind of confection called ‘buttercream.’ It took the place of marzipan candies, made from almond paste, which can be molded into shapes, and often was sold in the shape of cute little vegetables.”

From Farm Fields to Halloween Bowls

So how did “Chicken Feed” transform into the Halloween icon we know today? It wasn’t an overnight change

For the first half of the 20th century, candy corn was just a regular “penny candy” that people enjoyed year-round. It wasn’t specifically associated with Halloween at all! The shift happened gradually in the mid-20th century:

1. In the 1950s, after WWII, as Halloween became more commercialized
2. When trick-or-treating became popular in the 1930s and 40s
3. As candy companies recognized the perfect timing with harvest season
4. When individually wrapped candies became the preferred treat for Halloween

The harvest-themed colors of yellow, orange, and white made it a natural fit for fall festivities. And by the 1950s, “Chicken Feed” was fully rebranded as “candy corn” and firmly established as a Halloween tradition.

How It’s Made: Not Much Has Changed in 100+ Years

What’s super interesting is that the basic recipe for candy corn hasn’t changed much since the 1880s! The production method, called “corn starch modeling,” remains similar too, though it’s now done by machines instead of by hand.

Back in the day, making candy corn was some serious hard work:

1. Workers had to cook sugar, water, and corn syrup in big pots
2. Then they’d add fondant for texture
3. Marshmallow was mixed in to make it softer
4. The hot mixture was poured into handheld buckets weighing 45 pounds!
5. The candy mixture had to be poured into molds THREE separate times – once for each color
6. All this was done in the hot summer months to prepare for fall sales

According to historic accounts, the Goelitz factory in Cincinnati was so committed to their German heritage that workers were required to speak German, even during World War I when anti-German sentiment was high in America!

Today’s candy corn contains:

• Sugar
• Corn syrup
• Salt
• Sesame oil
• Honey
• Artificial flavor
• Food colorings
• Gelatin
• Confectioner’s glaze (made from lac resin – a bug secretion!)

Yep, you read that right – there are bug secretions in candy corn! The confectioner’s glaze (also called shellac) comes from the lac bug, which secretes a waxy, waterproof coating to protect itself. Workers scrape these secretions from plants, and some bugs inevitably get collected in the process. This same substance is used in paints, cosmetics, and other products too!

Love It or Hate It: America’s Most Divisive Candy

One thing’s for sure – candy corn generates strong opinions! It’s been called “Halloween’s most contentious sweet” that people either absolutely love or totally despise.

Despite the haters, candy corn continues to be extremely popular:

• About 35 million pounds (9 billion pieces) are produced annually in the US
• It ranks as the third most popular Halloween candy behind chocolate and gummy candy
• The National Confectioners Association has declared October 30th “National Candy Corn Day”
• Brach’s Confections (owned by Ferrara Candy Company) makes about 7 billion pieces per year

But the candy certainly has its detractors:

• It’s frequently listed as the “Worst Halloween Candy”
• Critics complain about its waxy texture and overly sweet flavor
• Some food experts note it lacks flavor contrast, causing “palate fatigue”
• Even kids sometimes pass it up for other options

As one food expert explained: “From a sensory perspective, the hatred of candy corn can be explained because, unlike many candies, its flavor profile doesn’t incorporate contrast. It’s just intensely sweet-tasting, which can produce palate fatigue, like eating spoonfuls of honey or sugar.”

Modern Variations: Not Just for Halloween Anymore

The candy industry never misses an opportunity to expand a successful product line! Today, you can find many different variations of the original candy corn:

• Harvest corn – adds cocoa powder for a chocolate brown end, often available around Thanksgiving
• Reindeer corn – red and green for Christmas
• Cupid corn – red and pink for Valentine’s Day
• Bunny corn – pastel colors for Easter
• Freedom corn – red, white, and blue for Independence Day

There are also wild flavor variations like:

• Caramel apple
• Green apple
• S’mores
• Pumpkin spice
• Carrot cake
• Birthday cake

In 2022, Brach’s even released a tailgate variant with fruit punch, vanilla ice cream, popcorn, hotdog, and hamburger flavored pieces! (Eww, but also… I’m curious?)

And candy corn has inspired other products like candy corn flavored Oreos, M&M’s, and marshmallows.

The Cincinnati Connection: A Sweet Local History

Not many people know this, but Cincinnati plays a huge role in candy corn history! According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the tri-colored kernels were first commercially manufactured in Cincinnati, beginning 120 years ago.

While the candy was invented in Philadelphia, it was Cincinnati’s Goelitz Company that made it famous. The candy business in Cincinnati was dominated by German immigrants, with companies like Myers Confectionery, Reinhart and Newton, Peter Eichert Company, and Doscher Candy Company.

Adolph Goelitz moved to Cincinnati in 1889 to be part of the candy supply and transportation networks. He and his two brothers set up business and began manufacturing candy corn (then called “chicken feed”).

The original recipe, perfected by the Goelitz Company, is still being made today by the same family!

Why I Think Candy Corn Deserves Another Chance

Look, I get it. Candy corn isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But there’s something kinda special about a candy that’s remained virtually unchanged for over 130 years, don’t ya think?

If you’re a candy corn hater, here’s a tip that might change your mind: Mix one part candy corn with two parts peanuts. The candy corn melts into the background and creates a flavor similar to a PayDay candy bar. Seriously, try it!

Whether you love it or hate it, candy corn’s journey from “Chicken Feed” to Halloween icon is a fascinating piece of American cultural history. And the next time someone offers you the tri-colored treat, you can impress them with your knowledge of its surprising agricultural origins!

Some Candy Corn Fun Facts to Share

• Each piece of candy corn has about 4-7 calories (depending on the brand)
• A serving of 15 pieces has about 110 calories and 22 grams of sugar
• Experts recommend no more than 25 grams of sugar per day, so a handful puts you near your daily limit!
• The wide yellow end is meant to resemble a corn kernel
• The National Confectioners Association estimates consumers buy 5% more chocolate and candy than in previous years

So there ya have it, folks! The surprising history of how “Chicken Feed” became one of America’s most iconic (and controversial) Halloween candies. Whether you’re team candy corn or firmly against it, you gotta admit – its journey from farm-themed penny candy to Halloween staple is pretty sweet!

The candy originally known as “Chicken Feed” is candy corn. The name was chosen because it was first sold in the late 1880s when corn was not considered a human food but rather a common feed for livestock, like chickens.