The History of Kettle Corn

Where did kettle corn come from? We’re so glad you asked. First, let’s define kettle corn. It’s a sweet and salty popcorn that’s often hawked at festivals, fairs, and flea markets. For the kettle corn here at Popcornopolis, we use the absolute puffiest, fluffiest, best-tasting popcorn around. We pop it in pure coconut oil and combine it with just the right amount of sugar and salt so that every bite leaves you guessing -- is it salty or sweet?

So where did this delicious flavored popcorn come from? Like most food origin stories, this one’s a bit murky. Some say it dates back to 18th century when farmers would cook popcorn in the same iron pots they had used to render lard. They’d pop the popcorn over an open fire in that hot pork fat and sweeten it with a little honey, molasses, or sugar.

Others say it actually originated in Germany and arrived in the United States through German immigrants. Still others say it came from the Dutch who settled in Pennsylvania. In any case, you’ll often find kettle corn featured at Civil War reenactments, an indication that it was a popular snack in the mid-1800s.

Recently, kettle corn has had a huge resurgence in popularity. Thank goodness for that, because we think our Kettle Corn is just about as good as it gets. Find it in our signature cones, best-selling popcorn gift baskets and festive party tins.