Orville Redenbacher Original Kernel Popcorn

Orville Redenbacher is a premier American brand of popcorn, named after its founder, an agricultural scientist who spent decades developing a superior hybrid kernel. Launched in 1969 by Orville Redenbacher and his partner Charles Bowman through their company Chester Inc., the brand set a new standard for popcorn by offering kernels that were significantly lighter and fluffier than traditional varieties.

Ownership of the brand has changed several times through major corporate mergers and acquisitions. In 1976, it was sold to Hunt-Wesson Foods, a division of Norton Simon Inc. During the 1980s, the brand transitioned through parent companies like Esmark, Beatrice Foods, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). In 1990, the brand was acquired by Conagra Brands (then known as ConAgra Foods), which remains its ultimate owner today.

While the brand maintains a strong American identity and sources much of its corn from dedicated family farms in the U.S. Midwest, it has a global reach. In Canada, the brand is managed by Conagra Brands Canada Inc., with headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, and manufacturing facilities in Ontario and Quebec that support various Conagra products.