PEZ - the fruity, sugary tablets dispensed from your favorite cartoon characterâs neck conjure up sweet childhood memories of swapping and collecting dispensers. (Iâll trade you my red Power Ranger for your Pikachu) But when these Austrian-born sweets hit the candy aisle almost 100 years ago, they had a seriously adult mission: Help people quit smoking. Yep, PEZ was essentially Juul before Juul, minus the toxic side effects. But when PEZ came to America, it shed that medicinal past to become a joyful kidâs candy, cult fave, and collectorâs item commanding thousands on the secondary market. Find out how PEZ made the leap from sober grownup treat to toy juggernaut⊠and how a mysterious figure called âThe PEZ Outlawâ upended the entire system, earning $4 million and (almost) getting away with it. Hereâs why PEZ is the best idea yet.
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