The History of Karo Corn Syrup

Derived from cornstarch, Karo Corn Syrup was created by the Corn Products Refining Company of New York and Chicago and hit the market in 1902. Because the liquid sweetener didn’t crystalize when heated, it was useful for making desserts and candies. Seeking to popularize the new product, the company ran a massive, expensive advertising campaign beginning in 1910. As part of the campaign, the company distributed free cookbooks filled with recipes that utilized the new product. (The most notable of these was 1920’s Karo Cook Book.) The campaign was a success and Karo became a household name. In the 1930s, the wife of a Karo corporate sales executive created a new use for Karo Corn Syrup — the modern pecan pie. Karo promoted her version of the recipe heavily and it soon became the most widely used recipe for pecan pie in America. Today, Karo Corn Syrup remains extremely popular and is forever linked with the American classic served at many Thanksgiving celebrations each year — pecan pie.