History of PEZ Candy
PEZ is much easier to pronounce than Pfefferminz, the original German term for the candy the world has gone crazy for. Pfefferminz is German for Peppermint. In 1927, an Austrian named Eduard Haas created a peppermint candy that he wanted to market as an adult breath mint as well as an alternative to smoking.
Clever marketing took the first, middle, and last letter of the word pfefferminz and created the zippy name we know today, PEZ . The candies were originally sold in pocket size tins that were shaped to look like a cigarette lighter. Twenty years later, the familiar dispenser was born and billed as being both easy and hygienic.
The PEZ candies of the early days were black unlike the pastels we love today.
In 1952, the candy makers looked to the United States in an effort to boost sales. As part of their expansion, they added character heads to the tops of the dispenser and began marketing the product to children. Shortly after, market research led the candy makers to add fruit flavors to the mix to appeal to children’s tastes. These innovative character heads that dispensed candy became an immediate hit. As time went by, over 300 different dispensers have been created. Today collecting PEZ candy dispensers is a growing hobby.
An interesting footnote to the history of PEZ has to do with their actual feet. Did you know that a foot was added to the base of the dispenser in 1987? This foot helps to stabilize the dispenser and keep it upright.
Did you know that PEZ rarely uses the likeness of real people as part of their character lineup? Among the few exceptions are Betsy Ross, Paul Revere, and Daniel Boone although they weren’t made in their actual likenesses. Nascar drivers are often featured however only their helmet is featured, not the likeness of the actual racer. Recently the gang from Orange County Choppers joined the lineup and became the first actual likeness characters in PEZ history.
