1927: The Invention of PEZ Candies in Linz

PEZ candy was invented by Upper Austrian entrepreneur Eduard Haas III. (1897-1989). It is a small pressed glucose candy, refined with peppermint oil. The name PEZ came from the first, the middle and the last letters of the German word for peppermint: PfeffErminZ. Haas invented the PEZ candy as an alternative for smokers who were trying to quit. He wanted to offer them something they could put in their mouths instead of a cigarette and that could also serve as a breath freshener. With the advertising slogan “Smoking prohibited, PEZing allowed”, Eduard Hass introduced PEZ candies – originally sold in small tin containers – to the market in 1927. After the Second World War, small PEZ dispensers were made in the shape of lighters, and entered the market in 1947.

In 1953, Eduard Haas set up a location in the US (New York) and developed a marketing program geared at children. There were now flavours such as raspberry, lemon, orange and cherry, and the PEZ dispensers were given the heads of cartoon characters, e.g. Disney figures Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. The PEZ dispenser became a bestseller in the US, and as of 1972, was also extremely popular in Japan. A cult of collectors arose, and even today PEZ dispensers are a coveted collector’s item. PEZ has developed into a brand with a worldwide reputation. It is the most famous product of Ed. Hass Austria, a food and confectionaries manufacturer since 1915 that emerged from a general store in Linz and which today has its headquarters in Traun.