Candy manufacturers produce about 35 million pounds (15.9 million kg) of candy corn each year. This comes out to about 9 billion individual pieces — enough to circle the moon 21 times. Although it is most popular in the fall and around Halloween, candy corn is sold year-round, usually in its characteristic white, yellow and orange coloring but also in different seasonal and holiday colors.
More about candy corn:
- The Wunderlee Candy Company was the first commercial producer of candy corn, originally called "chicken feed," and began selling it in the 1880s. The Goelitz Confectionary Company was the first to give it national distribution, however.
- Some confectioners use honey to sweeten candy corn, although most also use corn syrup as well.
- About 2,000 pounds (907 kg) of candy corn was destroyed in the Goelitz Confectionary factory fire in September 1950, resulting in panic for candy retailers who needed significant supplies of the stuff for Halloween that year.