Orville Clarence Redenbacher (July 16, 1907 – September 19, 1995) was an American food scientist and businessman most often associated with the brand of popcornthat bears his name which is now owned by Conagra Brands. The New York Times described him as "the agricultural visionary who all but single-handedly revolutionized the American popcorn industry".[1]
The New York Times described Redenbacher: "But for all his bumpkin appearance, the man with the signature white wavy hair and oversized bow tie was a shrewd agricultural scientist who experimented with hybrids."[1] He began his career selling fertilizer, but spent his spare time working with popcorn.
In 1951, Redenbacher and partner Charles F. Bowman bought the George F. Chester and Son seed corn plant in Boone Grove, Indiana.[6] Naming the company "Chester Hybrids", they tried tens of thousands of hybrid strains of popcorn before settling on a hybrid they named "RedBow".
An advertising agency advised them to use Orville Redenbacher's own name as the brand name.[7] They launched their popping corn in 1970.[8]
In 1976, Redenbacher sold the company to Hunt-Wesson Foods,[9] a division of Norton Simon, Inc. In 1983, Esmark purchased Norton Simon, which in turn was acquired by Beatrice Foods in 1984. In 1985, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired Beatrice with the goal of selling off businesses. In 1990, they sold the popcorn business and other old Hunt-Wesson businesses to agribusiness giant ConAgra.
By the mid-1970s, Redenbacher and Bowman had captured a third of the unpopped-popcorn market.[8] Redenbacher then moved to Coronado, California, where he lived for the remainder of his life.[9]
He appeared as the company's official spokesperson, wearing a trademark outfit in public that included horn-rimmed glasses and a bow tie. Sometimes Redenbacher appeared in commercials with his grandson, Gary Redenbacher.[11] Some customers wrote letters asking if Redenbacher was a real person, and not an actor. He responded to this by appearing on various talk shows, professing his identity. Redenbacher, in his book, states, "I want to make it clear that I am real."[6]
Personal life
Redenbacher was married to Corinne Rosemund Strate from 1928 until her death at 62 in 1971. Later that year, he married Nina Reder, and they remained married until her death at the age of 91 in May 1991. He had two daughters, through whom he had 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.[1]
On September 19, 1995, Redenbacher died in the hot tub of his condominium in Coronado, California. He suffered a heart attack and drowned.[1] He was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.[6]
On the September 23, 1995, edition of Siskel & Ebert, Roger Ebert eulogized Redenbacher by calling him "a man who took popcorn seriously, as seriously as we take the movies." His co-host, Gene Siskel, added that "he actually was more than just a cute, cuddly advertising figure. He actually was a scientist who came up with a new strain of popcorn that really kept that whole industry alive [...] that's a real contribution."[12]
In 1988, Purdue University awarded him an honorary doctorate.[13]
Aside from his contributions to the popcorn industry, he is noteworthy for his appearances on television, and in particular, his charismatic image in commercials.[14][15]
Since 2006, several of Orville's commercials from the 1970s and 1980s have aired on many channels across the United States.[citation needed] The advertisements for the brand's "natural" popcorn snacks were introduced in 2008, 13 years after Redenbacher's death, and feature a clip of him at the end.
In January 2007, a television commercial featuring a digital recreation of Redenbacher appeared. Redenbacher's grandson, Gary Redenbacher, responded to questions about how he felt about the advertisement by saying: "Grandpa would go for it. He was a cutting-edge guy. This was a way to honor his legacy."[16] Redenbacher's business partner, Charles F. Bowman, died in 2009.[17]
In 2022, Redenbacher was mentioned by American musical comedian Bo Burnham in the song "Microwave Popcorn" from the deluxe edition of his soundtrack album Inside (The Songs).[19]
↑ "Orville Redenbacher, King of Popcorn". RoadsideAmerica.com. Valparaiso, Indiana. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Orville Redenbacher [...] with his bow tie, wavy hair, toothy grin, and thick glasses [...] became a celebrity by pitching it ["gourmet popping corn"] on TV commercials.
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money to establish a college of science, technology, and agriculture; the first classes were held on September 16, 1874.
Valparaiso, colloquially Valpo, is a city and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 34,151 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.
Popcorn is a variety of corn kernel which expands and puffs up when heated. The term also refers to the snack food produced by the expansion. It is one of the oldest snacks, with evidence of popcorn dating back thousands of years in the Americas. It is commonly eaten salted or sweetened.
Eugene Kal Siskel was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune who co-hosted movie review television series alongside colleague Roger Ebert.
Conagra Brands, Inc. is an American consumer packaged goods holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Conagra makes and sells products under various brand names that are available in supermarkets, restaurants, and food service establishments. Based on its 2021 revenue, the company ranked 331st on the 2022 Fortune 500.
Granny Goose is an American brand of potato chips and other snack foods.
Orville Redenbacher's is an American brand of popcorn made originally by Chester Inc.
Northwest Indiana, nicknamed The Region after the Calumet Region, is an unofficial region of northern Indiana, United States that is located at the northwestern corner of the state. Though there is no official definition of the region, it is based on the Gary, Indiana Metropolitan Division, which comprises Jasper, Lake, Porter and Newton counties in Indiana, and the Michigan City-La Porte, IN Metropolitan Statistic Area, which comprises LaPorte, with unofficial definitions also including Starke and Pulaski counties. This region neighbors Lake Michigan and parts of it are in the Chicago metropolitan area. According to the 2020 Census, the largest definition of Northwest Indiana has a population of 866,965 and is the state's second largest urban area after the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area. It is also the home of the Indiana Dunes, parts of which have been preserved through conservation efforts. The town of Ogden Dunes houses the Hour Glass, a museum showcasing the ecological and conservation efforts of O. D. Frank.
The Purdue Exponent is an independent student newspaper that serves Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. It is published on Mondays and Thursdays during university semesters by the Purdue Student Publishing Foundation, and is Indiana's largest collegiate newspaper.
The Purdue "All-American" Marching Band is the marching band of Purdue University and performs at Purdue Boilermakers football games. The AAMB is also the official band of the Indianapolis 500 race, having held the position since 1919.
A popcorn maker is a machine used to pop popcorn. Since ancient times, popcorn has been a popular snack food, produced through the explosive expansion of kernels of heated corn (maize). Commercial large-scale popcorn machines were invented by Charles Cretors in the late 19th century. Many types of small-scale home methods for popping corn also exist.
The SFM Holiday Network was an 'occasional' network from SFM Media which aired on holiday weekends from 1978 until 1991.
The Valparaiso Popcorn Festival is an annual one-day food festival held in September in Valparaiso, Indiana. The festival began in 1979 as a way to salute resident Orville Redenbacher, the food scientist and businessman associated with the brand of popcorn which bears his name.
Earl Lauer "Rusty" Butz was a United States government official who served as the secretary of agriculture under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. His policies favored large-scale corporate farming and an end to New Deal programs.
Popcorn is an unincorporated community in Perry Township, Lawrence County, Indiana.
Charles F. Bowman was an American businessman who partnered with Orville Redenbacher to create a popping corn which won a third of the US market for unpopped popcorn by the mid-1970s. The corn was marketed as Orville Redenbacher's and is now owned by ConAgra Brands.
Karmelkorn was an American popcorn retailer. It was founded in 1928 in Casper, Wyoming, by Mr. and Mrs. William O'Sullivan. The O'Sullivans patented their candy-coated popcorn and trademarked the product's name and logo in 1929. Initially, they licensed the product to existing confectioneries before creating a chain of franchised Karmelkorn stores. Within four years, the O'Sullivans had 535 stores licensed to sell its product in North America including candy stores and peanut / popcorn stands. The original slogan of the product was "Delicious Karmelkorn: The Flavor That Can Not be Copied."
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