Is the popcorn machine the most important invention to date? Well, consider this statistic: Americans are said to consume more than 17 billion liters of popcorn each year, that’s more than 50 liters per person, and that’s enough popcorn to fill the Empire State Building 18 times. .

And where do you eat a large percentage of this popcorn? Right, when watching a movie. In fact, many of the theaters make more money selling you popcorn than selling you a ticket, especially after they put enough salt in it for you to buy a soda to drink as well. So there is a case for the movie industry to think that this is the most important invention.

Then there is Nebraska. This state produces about a quarter of the annual popcorn production in the US, which is close to 250 million pounds. They certainly know the tremendous importance of this invention.

Or what about microwave oven manufacturers? There’s a joke that popcorn invented the microwave. This makes sense considering that popcorn is actually one of the number one reasons a microwave is used. I guess that makes a microwave a popcorn machine.

Well, you could say that this is not as important as Facebook or the iPhone, but an astonishing amount of popcorn is produced and eaten. And probably a lot while updating your status or texting, so what’s really more important 🙂

Invention and development of the popcorn machine

Charles Cretors is credited with inventing the popcorn machine in 1885. His original machine was an addition to a peanut roaster that he redesigned to use a small steam engine. By 1893, and at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Creators had created a steam unit that operated as an automated process and included a popcorn wagon displaying the popcorn. Most significant about his latest design was that the popcorn can was popped in its own seasonings and oil with even and consistent results.

Cretors continued to develop his invention with the first horse-drawn popcorn cart and the first electric motor popcorn machine. These became very popular as movie attendance increased in the 1920s, and popcorn even grew in popularity during the depression as a result of its low cost.

Development came to a halt during WWII, as manufacturing efforts went into war-related things. After the war ended, and to continually respond to theater and stand owners, the new popcorn machines took advantage of advances in technology and made it possible to make popcorn even more consistent, faster, and in greater quantity. . C. Cretors & Company is still in business today and continues to be one of the leaders in the modern concession industry.

So how important is this invention? In 1988, the United States Postal Service issued a new set of stamps commemorating transportation. And as part of this series was a 16.7 cent postage stamp that was illustrated with the Cretor model from 1902. This was done as a tribute to what has become one of the most consumed and popular snacks ever. All as a result of the invention and development of the popcorn machine.