Maize, meaning “that which sustains us,” was first domesticated by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica in prehistoric times from a grass known as teosinte – the mother of corn. Though archeologists have found early maize in Mexico which dates to 2750 BC, it has likely been cultivated for millennia. Successful crops are fundamental for the transformation of nomadic tribes into prosperous agricultural societies and the highly productive maize crops allowed civilizations in the Americas to flourish. Both the Aztec civilization which spanned 80,000 square miles across southern and central Mexico and the later Mayan civilization which spanned one-third of Central America and Mexico are a testament to this concept. Cultivated by both civilizations, the corn of the time grew with colorful kernels of white, yellow, blue, red, black, and even multi-colored. Early Native Americans are responsible for the development of the resilient ancestor of today’s corn which played a key role in the nutrition, religion, and rituals of Indigenous Americans. Corn’s heartiness in any number of climates and its wide variety of uses, corn has been the most extensively grown crop in the United States and globally.
When corn’s dense, starchy filling expands due to heat, the pressure created by the steam causes the hard moisture-sealed hulls to burst, creating popcorn. Legend tells us that popcorn was discovered thousands of years ago when a cob was thrown into a fire in Mexico, although, evidence of popcorn has been discovered in Peruvian prehistoric sites dating back 7000 years. To the Aztecs, popcorn was a holy snack, used as offerings to the gods to ensure successful harvests and the safety for their people. Costumes worn in ceremonies honoring Tlaloc, the god of rain and fertility, were decorated with strands of popcorn, statues of Tlaloc were similarly bejeweled. A ceremonial dance had men forming a snake while women danced and jumped among them, mimicking popcorn popping!
Native Americans introduced early settlers to a cereal made of popcorn which gave them the nourishment to endure harsh winters. As the settlers learned how to grow successful corn crops, many new creations were dreamed up and popcorn became a popular treat and was even strung on Christmas trees by the 1820s. In 1861, the first recipe for popcorn balls was published by E.F. Haskell in her Housekeeper Encyclopedia, 2 cups of sorghum, molasses, honey, or maple and 16 cups popcorn (1/2 cup kernels) plus butter or oil for coating hands while rolling. The Civil War had just begun but there are still references to popcorn balls being made using open flames and sorghum, two of the few ingredients still available, even in the South.
Later, the popular treat could be found on the streets being hawked by street peddlers or “candy boys” leading to a huge demand for commercial popping and rolling contraptions! In answer to the call, the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, saw the unveiling of an invention by Charles Cretors, the first patented steam-driven commercial popcorn cart that could “guarantee a predictable outcome.” Additionally, the exposition featured two brothers, F.W. Rueckheim with the first recipe for caramel corn and Louis Rueckheim with the first Cracker Jack recipe. By 1925, the first home poppers arrived and, of course, they were swiftly bought-up by the wealthy! Over time, any number of home poppers were introduced, all using hand-crank “technology” which kept the kernels from burning.
Popcorn maintained its popularity during the Great Depression (1929-1941) since the 5 or 10 cents per bag was still a bargain for nearly everyone. The floundering movie theater industry of the 1930s was revived when a movie theater manager noticed that a man selling popcorn outside one of his theaters was able to buy a house, farm, and store. Seeing gold, he brought popcorn directly into the business and by the mid-1940’s the job – and profit – of popcorn-making was forever entwined with the movie theater industry. Without the “middleman,” profits soared. To this day, movie theater popper designs resemble Cretors’ original cart…and the extraordinary link between movies and popcorn remain in us all. Unsurprisingly, popcorn demand fell when the television was introduced to homes in the 1950s.
In 1978, the first air popper, the Presto Pumper, was introduced which used hot air instead of oil to heat the kernels. There is conflicting information regarding firsts in microwave popcorn but in 1973, ACT I introduced a microwavable popcorn bag that was stored in the refrigerator to keep the popcorn fresh, and Pillsbury offered frozen microwave popcorn in 1982. In 1984, a shelf-stable version was introduced by ACT II, and microwave popcorn was here to stay. Since then, most popcorn made in the home is microwaved.
Rising in popularity – and fast – are the ready-to-eat popcorns. Old and new companies are jumping on board and consumers are buying in! Reasons for moving away from microwave style range from discomfort with the chemicals in the oils and bags, the inconsistency of microwave popcorn and, simply, the fact that microwave popcorn is not ready-to-eat! Considering just two categories of popcorn, microwave and ready-to-eat, the 2020 market value size of $9.8 million is expected to reach $18.8 million internationally by 2031. The largest market growth, however, and the future of popcorn now lies in ready-to-eat popcorn. I’m in!