PEZ Candy

PEZ Candy

PEZ Candy is a unique and popular confection that originated in Austria in 1927. It was created by Eduard Haas III as an alternative to smoking, with the name PEZ derived from the German word for peppermint, “PfeffErminZ,” taking the P from the first letter, E from the middle, and Z from the last letter to form the brand name.

Initially, PEZ was marketed as an adult breath mint, focusing on helping smokers quit. The candy was sold in small tins and later in a unique dispenser designed by Oscar Uxa in 1948, which allowed for easy dispensing of the small, brick-shaped candies.

In 1952, PEZ made its way to the United States and was introduced to the American market. To make PEZ more appealing to the U.S. audience, especially children, the flavors were diversified from just peppermint to include fruity options. This shift in target audience and flavor was accompanied by the introduction of the now-iconic character-themed dispensers, which featured popular fictional characters and quickly became a favorite among collectors.

The first character dispenser, the Halloween Witch, was introduced in 1957, and the first licensed character dispenser, Popeye, was Introduced in 1958. Since then, over 1,500 different PEZ dispensers have been created, including various characters and unique edition designs. The company has continued to innovate, introducing new flavors and designs to maintain its appeal to a wide audience.

PEZ has a rich history and has become a cultural phenomenon. Collectors worldwide seek out its candy dispensers, and the company has expanded its reach globally, selling its candy in over 80 countries. The PEZ Visitor Center, located in Orange, Connecticut, is home to the world's most comprehensive collection of PEZ memorabilia, showcasing the history and evolution of this unique candy brand.