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

And where is a large percentage of this popcorn eaten? It’s okay, watching a movie. In fact, many of the theaters make more money selling you popcorn than they do selling you a ticket, especially after they salt you enough that you buy a soda to drink too. So there’s a case for the movie industry to think this is the most important invention ever.

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

Or what about manufacturers of microwave ovens? There is a joke that popcorn invented the microwave. This makes sense considering that popcorn is actually one of the main reasons people use a microwave. I guess that turns a microwave into a popcorn maker.

Ok, so you could say this isn’t as big of a deal 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 popcorn machines

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. In 1893, and at the Chicago Columbian Exposition, Creators had created a steam-powered unit that operated as an automated process and included a popcorn cart that displayed the popcorn. The most significant thing about his latest design was that the popcorn can is popped in its own seasonings and oil with even and consistent results.

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

Development was put on hold during World War II as manufacturing efforts were devoted to war related things. After the war ended, and to continually respond to theater and concession stand owners, new popcorn machines took advantage of technological advances and made it possible to make even more consistent popcorn, faster and in larger quantities. C. Cretors & Company is still in business today and continues to be one of the leaders in the modern concessions industry.

So how important is this invention? In 1988, the US Postal Service issued a new series of stamps commemorating transportation. And as part of this series was a 16.7-cent postage stamp illustrated with the 1902 Cretor model. This was done as a tribute to what has become one of the most widely consumed and popular snack foods in history, all as a result of the invention and development of the popcorn machine.