Karmelkorn

by Karmelkorn

1929 – 2019 GONE FOREVER

Gone as a chain. A Sioux Falls franchisee said in January 2019 that DQ was dropping support, and his shop was among the last selling it. A Norfolk, Nebraska seller still offers Karmelkorn, but any tie to the old company is unconfirmed.

Last verified Nov 4, 2026

The caramel-corn shop that once perfumed mall corridors, started in Casper, Wyoming, and grown to 270 stores in 43 states by 1982. It ended as a corner of a Dairy Queen counter, then not even that.

🧾 One more thingFlavors once ran as far as bacon. In 1991, one Utah shop told the Deseret News it was popping more than 15,000 pounds of corn a year.

Filed under: Snacks & Chips · the ’70s & earlier

🎲 Remember another one 🛒 Test your memory

📅 Timeline

1929The first shop opened in Casper, Wyoming, according to most accounts; Wikipedia's text says 1928.
1969Franchise Growth Corp. bought the chain.
1982Karmelkorn reached 270 shops in 43 states.
1986International Dairy Queen bought the business.
2016The KARMELKORN trademark registration was cancelled on April 1.
2019A Sioux Falls franchisee said DQ was dropping support for the brand.

❓ People also ask

What happened to Karmelkorn?

Dairy Queen's parent bought it in 1986 and paired it with Orange Julius and DQ, then dropped support in 2019 as mall traffic fell.

Can you still buy Karmelkorn?

A popcorn seller in Norfolk, Nebraska, sells Karmelkorn online and through local stores and says it has made it since 1929. Its link to the old chain is unconfirmed.

🧾 Sources

SiouxFalls.Business, Dairy Queen, Orange Julius, Karmelkorn in Empire Mall to close (2019)
Dakota News Now, Dairy Queen, Orange Julius, Karmelkorn in Empire Mall to close (2019)
Deseret News, 20 Years of Booming, Popping Business (1991)
USPTO, KARMELKORN trademark status (serial 71604153)
Wikipedia, Karmelkorn

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