You likely remember Orville Redenbacher as the wiry-haired, bow-tied gent who appeared in numerous popcorn commercials during the mid-1970s and 1980s. Orville Redenbacher built his popcorn empire based on a hybrid variety of popping corn that yields a lighter, fluffier snack. "You'll taste the difference, or my name isn't Orville Redenbacher," the popcorn king concludes at the end of each commercial -- and consumers seem to agree. At the time of his death, Orville Redenbacher Popcorn was the leading name in the popcorn industry.
About Orville Redenbacher
In 1907, Orville Redenbacher was born in Brazil, Indiana -- Indiana being one of the major popcorn-producing states, according to Popcorn.org. By the age of 12, Redenbacher was growing his own popcorn to save up for college, often selling his homegrown product from a roadside stand. In 1928, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from Purdue University. It was during this time that his alma mater's experimentation with hybrids convinced the fledgling agriculturalist that he could create a hybrid variety of popping corn that was lighter, fluffier and tastier.
Redenbacher's Popcorn Empire
Redenbacher and business partner Charlie Bowman didn't create the perfect hybrid popcorn until 1965. The difference between Redenbacher's gourmet popcorn and regular popcorn was that the Redenbacher-Bowman hybrid expanded up to 40 times its original size when popped, compared to other varieties of popcorn, which only expanded up to 20 times the size of the kernel, according to a September 1995 New York Times article. Orville Redenbacher's popcorn made its debut at Marshall Field's in 1970 as a premier brand. Redenbacher and Bowman sold their company to Conagra Foods in 1976, but Redenbacher stayed on as a spokesperson for the brand.
Product Lines
Among the product line-up is Orville Redenbacher's Original Gourmet Popping Corn and White Corn Gourmet Popping Corn, which you can make over the stove the old-fashioned way. However, Orville Redenbacher's microwaveable products prevail. Among those available as of December 2010 are snacks to please the entire family, such as Butter, Light Butter, Ultimate Butter and Movie Theater Butter microwave popcorn. Orville Redenbacher's "Sweet and Savory" varieties include cheddar cheese, spicy nacho and caramel-flavored popcorn, as well as lightly-salted "kettle corn." Orville Redenbacher's Natural varieties include no added colors, flavors or preservatives. Natural Butter; Natural Butter with 50 percent less fat; Natural Buttery Salt and Cracked Pepper; and Natural Lime and Salt are some of the products available in the Natural line.
Diet and Nutrition Considerations
If you're keeping an eye on calories and fat, Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop! Butter and SmartPop! Kettle Corn are 94 percent fat free, with 100 calories per serving. According to MayoClinic.Com, popcorn, a whole grain, is a high-fiber snack, containing around 3.5 g per every 3-cup serving. Information on the manufacturer's website states that you get 12 percent of your daily amount of fiber from a serving of Orville Redenbacher popcorn.
Other Information
Redenbacher passed away at the age of 88 on September 19, 1995. The cause of death was a heart attack, according to his New York Times obituary. At that time, Orville Redenbacher popcorn led the industry in the then-$1 billion popcorn market. Although Orville Redenbacher is a brand name closely associated with microwave popcorn, Redenbacher himself preferred the stove-popped variety, his grandson told the Times. According to the manufacturer's website, to this day, Brazil, Indiana holds an annual Popcorn Festival to honor its hometown hero.
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