The State That Sells And Grows The Most Popcorn In The US

It's one of the oldest snacks in history, dating back thousands of years. In fact, it's believed that one of the first uses for corn was popping. Back in the Colonial era, popcorn was often eaten with sugar and milk like cereal. Today, it's a perfect concession to enjoy with a movie, as Tom Cruise can attest to with each enormous fistful of kernels he eats. But what state produces the most popcorn? Which of America's fifty states can we thank for the lion's share of this puffy, crunchy, endlessly customizable wonder snack? Why, Indiana, of course.

When it comes to corn, Indiana might not be the first state that leaps to mind. Perhaps you'd expect the popcorn leader to be Nebraska, which loves corn so much it named the sports teams for its biggest college the "Cornhuskers." Or maybe you'd think it would be Iowa, which once had a building made entirely out of corn. But, while Nebraska had been the nation's leader in popcorn production for a while, it was outpaced by Indiana in 2021. The Hoosier state planted over 97,000 acres of popcorn that year (not to be confused with sweet corn, which you'd eat on the cob).

Indiana probably would have been a major popcorn producer even if one of the most significant figures in popcorn history wasn't born there. Most popcorn is grown in the Midwest, including Illinois to Indiana's left and Ohio to its right, so Indiana likely would have jumped on the bandwagon at some point. But the fact that microwave popcorn mainstay Orville Redenbacher, that bowtie-wearing scion of puffy kernels, was a Hoosier certainly doesn't hurt. Redenbacher was born in Brazil, a small town outside of Terre Haute otherwise known for having a fountain in its town square from the South American country of the same name. Once a humble youth who sold popcorn from the back of his car, Redenbacher grew up to be a gifted agricultural scientist. He developed a popcorn hybrid strain with his business partner, Charles Bowman, that revolutionized the popcorn industry. (Appropriately enough, it was called "Red Bow," just like the tie Redenbacher wore.)

But Indiana popcorn goes beyond the bowtie. Weaver, the largest bulk popcorn producer in the world, is located in Indiana. Believe it or not, the popcorn brand called Popcorn Indiana is not actually located in Indiana. Although it sources its corn in part from the Hoosier State, the brand is currently owned by the Ohio-based Eagle Family Foods Group.