F a l l 2 0 1 7 • S T U F F 1 9
C O O L S T U F F
"You're not famous until they put your
head on a PEZ dispenser," reads a
button from the PEZ Candy company.
PEZ is short for peppermint in German
and was created in Connecticut as
a breath mint in 1927. Its iconic box
dispenser was launched 20 years later
and designed to work like a cigarette
lighter to help people quit smoking.
And it's just one of many products you
use every day made in the Nutmeg
State.
Connecticut manufacturing is thriving.
Its jet engines dominate the skies while
its submarines patrol the seas. Medical
ventilators save lives while hydrogen
electrolyzers save the planet. Builders
use its tools, wear its jeans and relax
over its craft beer.
And for products giving our lives a
sense of whimsey and fun, look to
Connecticut for its Wiffle Balls, BIC
Lighters and – yes – PEZ.
The stories behind these products and
their companies paint a vivid picture of
a diverse and thriving industry.
Sending astronauts to the moon
would not have been possible without
hydrogen fuel cells. They produce
electricity from the electrochemical
reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. The
only byproduct is water.
COOL STUFF
PEZ Candy
Who makes it: PEZ Candy
Where: Orange
Founded: 1927
How they make it: Sugar and flavoring are
combined in a mixer then the powder is
molded by high-pressure machines into
the tablet-shaped candies.
Employees: 150
How much it costs:
$1.79-$2.49 for one pack
Who uses the product:
Who doesn't like PEZ?
"Star Wars is one of the most popular
licensed PEZ assortments of all time, and
Disney is our longest-standing license,"
says Shawn Peterson, the company's direct
to consumer business manager.
Over 3 billion PEZ candies are consumed
annually in the U.S. alone and the product
is distributed in more than 60 countries.
The stories behind
Connecticut STUFF
From giant corporations founded hundreds of years
ago to four-man shops less than 10 years old, it gets
made in Connecticut
By Carol Riordan
