The designation makes sense. There are more than 300 Illinois farms growing popcorn on 47,000 acres of farmland. This makes the land of Lincoln the third largest grower of popcorn in the world.
Popcorn is a type of flint or field corn, but it has its own size, shape, starch level and moisture content. It has a hard exterior shell and a soft starchy center. Popcorn is the only variety of corn that pops. Inside each seed is a tiny droplet of water and oil. When popcorn is heated between 350-400 degrees, the water and oil inside the seed turns to steam, causing it to expand and eventually break the seed coat—the outer hull— open. When it breaks, or “pops,” the seed is flipped inside out, exposing the soft white fluffy starch. Other types of dried corn may burst open slightly when heated, but popcorn is unique in its taste and "popability."
According to the last U.S. Agriculture Census, Mason County is the largest popcorn-producing county in Illinois. Mason County popcorn growers sell it to a variety of wholesalers representing nationwide brands as bagged popcorn seeds, microwave popcorn or prepared popcorn, or they self-market it to local grocers or at farmers markets.
One of the most notable nationwide brands is Weaver Popcorn produced by Weaver Popcorn Bulk in Forest City, Illinois. It is the largest bulk popcorn producer in the world, co-manufacturing distinct varieties of kernels to serve businesses both domestically and internationally. Weaver Popcorn Bulk produces more than one-third of the highest quality kernels in Mason County.
Popcorn for Breakfast
Although popcorn is typically thought of as a snack food today, popcorn was once a popular breakfast food. Ahead of its time and very likely a role model for breakfast cereals to come, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, popcorn was eaten just as we eat cereal today.
Long before the advent of Corn Flakes, Ella Kellogg enjoyed her popcorn ground with milk or cream. Although she discouraged in-between meal snacking, she urged others to eat popcorn at meals as popcorn was “an excellent food.” Ella understood, as her husband did, that popcorn was a whole grain. John Harvey Kellogg praised popcorn as being “easily digestible and to the highest degree wholesome, presenting the grain in its entirety, and hence superior to many denatured breakfast foods which are found in the market.”
Long before the advent of Corn Flakes, Ella Kellogg enjoyed her popcorn ground with milk or cream. Although she discouraged in-between meal snacking, she urged others to eat popcorn at meals as popcorn was “an excellent food.” Ella understood, as her husband did, that popcorn was a whole grain. John Harvey Kellogg praised popcorn as being “easily digestible and to the highest degree wholesome, presenting the grain in its entirety, and hence superior to many denatured breakfast foods which are found in the market.”
Recipes for Popcorn Lovers
If you love popcorn in all its varieties and flavors you'll want to head over to the Illinois Popcorn Board website for a vast array of sweet and savory recipes that will satisfy your cravings.
Whether you like it flavored or in its simplest form, at the heart of each kernel is a healthful whole-grain, naturally low in fat and calories, gluten-free, and non-GMO, which makes it a great fit for today’s health-conscious consumer.
If you love popcorn in all its varieties and flavors you'll want to head over to the Illinois Popcorn Board website for a vast array of sweet and savory recipes that will satisfy your cravings.
It’s easy to understand why popcorn has remained so popular over time. And its popularity continues to grow today. The global popcorn market size was estimated at USD 5.2 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 11.2% from 2022 to 2030. The market growth is reliant upon the global consumer trend toward well-being.