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It all started in 1927 in Austria when Edward Haas came up with this new peppermint candy. An adult breath mint
that he decided to market as an alternative for smoking. The word PEZ comes from the German word for peppermint
(pfefferminz). They took the first, middle and last letter and came up with the word PEZ. Short and easy to understand.
PEZ used to be carried around in pocket tins. Then in 1948 they came out with the "easy, hygenic dispenser"
that we all know now to be a regular. In 1952 PEZ wanted to expand their sales so they set their sights on the
U.S.A., to make their product more appealing to Americans. They placed heads on the dispensers and marketed it
for children.
It is unknown which dispenser was first but it was either the Full Body Robot or Full Body Santa.
In 1973 PEZ built their U.S. plant that is located in Orange, Ct. In 1983, Mr. Scott McWhinnie became "PEZident"
of PEZ here in the U.S. In 1990 the size of the plant was doubled. It operates 24 hours a day. That's right, 24
hours making PEZ candy. In 1987 feet were added to the base of the dispenser. To date PEZ has made about 300 different
dispensers.
October 1995 PEZ Collector's News sent out it's first issue. March 1996 PCN went on a tour of the factory and
interviewed the "PEZident" of PEZ, Mr. Scott McWhinnie.
1996 PEZ started a new mail order system to purchase PEZ direct from the company. That is when PEZ released
Bubble Man to the public.
June 1997 PEZ Collector's News expands to 31 pages!!!
April 2002 PEZ turns over a box of genuine "errors" to the Northeast PEZ Collectors Gathering to give
to all attendees. These dispensers came to PEZ made in the wrong colors. Rather than distroy them, they give
them to collectors for the first time. The dispenser was the "Glowing Convention Witch". Now, it is
a new tradition for convention registrants to recieve a commerative dispenser at conventions.
January 2003 "PEZident" Scott McWhinnie retires. The PEZ company in the US restructures it's command
and becomes even more "collector" friendly.
2006, Another new President takes over, Mr. Joe Vittoria.
Many new changes happen.
PEZ does not advertise. Everywhere you look you see PEZ. Some newspaper or a magazine in the U.S. is does a
story on PEZ, you see an advertisement with a PEZ dispenser in it, or watch a TV show that they mention PEZ as
a joke or part of the story. All that is free advertising. It brings PEZ to the minds of all that sees it. From
there, we pick up a few more collectors, PEZ sells a few more dispensers, a writer writes another story on PEZ.
It keeps on going.... PEZ becomes more popular and more collectible....
PEZ is part of U.S. history.
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