TikTok’s famous “Corn Kid” has taken part in a charity drive and is donating tins of his favourite food to those in need.
In collaboration with tinned corn brand Green Giant and City Harvest, a New York City-based food rescue charity, seven-year-old Tariq has given out more than 50,000 tins of corn in his home borough of Brooklyn.
He also helped distribute 40,000 tins of Green Giant vegetables, such as green beans and peas.
Tariq went viral on TikTok earlier this year after he expressed his unwavering love for corn, in an interview with YouTube channel Recess Therapy.
His adorable responses were soon turned into a viral TikTok song with the help of American band The Gregory Brothers.
Tariq said he hopes the partnership with Green Giant will make his favourite grain the “star” of Thanksgiving feasts this year.
“What is Thanksgiving without corn? Thanksgiving is practically a holiday about corn,” Tariq said.
“I mean, every day could be a holiday if you get to eat corn at some point – but this is the one day that we get to stay home with family, watch a big parade, and then eat corn. Lots and lots of corn. It’s my favorite day of the year!”
Tariq was first interviewed by Recess Therapy in August at a park in Brooklyn.
The video, titled “CEO of Corn” sees him eating a corncob as he tells host Julian Shapiro-Barnum: “For me... I really like corn. When I tried it with butter, everything changed.”
When asked why he loves corn so much, Tariq said: “I mean look at this thing, I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing.”
Shapiro-Barnum later asked Tariq to describe corn to someone who has never eaten it before. “A big lump with knobs, it has the juice,” the CEO of Corn replied.
Kristen Thompson, senior vice president at B&G Foods, the parent company of Green Giant, commented: “We are very excited to partner with Corn Kid this Thanksgiving as his enthusiasm for corn rivals that of the Green Giant himself.
“Corn Kid has a giant heart and we are thrilled to help him share his love of corn with his community this Thanksgiving with an enormous donation of our canned veggies.”
