PEZ Manufacturing

    PEZ Candy, Inc. is made up of two different entities, PEZ International and PEZ USA. PEZ candy was initially manufactured in Austria after debuting in 1927. However, a new PEZ candy factory was built in Czechoslovakia in 1935 in order to manufacture candy on a larger scale. In 1952, PEZ expanded to the US Market, leading to the separate company divisions. PEZ USA headquarters was established in New York City at 75 West Street and all products were imported from Europe to then be distributed throughout North America. The first U.S. patent, 2.620.061, wasn’t established until December 2, 1952 and candy wasn’t manufactured domestically until 1973. On November 19, 1973, after 20 years of operations in the U.S., a new manufacturing facility and warehouse broke ground and operations moved from New York City to Orange, Connecticut.

    In 2011, the PEZ Visitor Center was opened at 35 Prindle Hill Rd. Orange, Connecticut 06477. The PEZ Visitor Center allows people to learn about and experience the PEZ brand in an interactive space. Admission is $5 for adults, and $4 for children ages 3-12 and seniors 60 or over. Children under 3 can enter for free. Included with admission is a free lanyard and a $2 store credit for any merchandise. The site, which is over 4,000 square feet, is home to the largest collection of PEZ memorabilia on display for the public in the world. Here guests can view a PEZ motorcycle built by the Orange County Choppers, the world’s largest PEZ dispenser, and an interactive historical PEZ timeline. Guests can also participate in a PEZ trivia scavenger hunt with a random dispenser as a prize for completion. There is a retail area where guests can purchase unique dispensers and also a viewing area where guests can get a glimpse of the production area where the dispensers and candy are packaged. Production at the center runs weekdays, with the exception of holidays, the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and a two-week Summer break. Unfortunately due to health and safety regulations, guests cannot enter the factory or production areas.