(WHTM) — Candy corn is one of those candies that many people love or hate. Some people love to hate it. But what is candy corn made of?

History.com said that the candy was invented around 1880s. During this time, candy companies were mixing up Mellowcreme and creating pumpkins, chestnuts, and other agricultural products. At that time, farmers made up about half of the labor force in the United States, so companies wanted to market agriculture candies to kids all year.

Oral histories say that candy corn was made in this era by Wunderle Candy Company which was located in Philadelphia by George Renninger, who was an employee at the company. The candy company later sold the three-layer confection made of sugar and corn syrup to the Goelitz Candy Company, which is now known as Jelly Belly Candy Company.

The National Confectioners Association said that the tri-color design was considered revolutionary at that time and that the lack of automated machinery meant that candy corn was only made once a season. Since the late 1800s, candy corn has been unchanged and is still a seasonal treat to this day.

The candy is made with sugar, fondant, corn syrup, vanilla, and marshmallow creme. These ingredients are then melted together into a slurry. The candy is put into kernel-shaped depressions that are made in a type of corn starch and are made from end to end in three passes.

The first layer is the white candy, made of mellow creme, followed by the orange mellow creme, then the yellow mellow creme is added and the entire candy is cooled. Once cooled, the candy is then covered in a confectioner’s glaze to make the candy shiny. They then are ready to be eaten.

Recently, the National Confectioners Association said that candy corn is not just for Halloween. Some candy companies make the treat for Christmas, Easter, and even Valentine’s Day.

Love it or hate it, candy corn has been around for over 100 years and is staying around for the long haul.