One Charitable Candy Lover Will Win an Exclusive Tour of the Peeps Factory

The eyes are printed onto marshmallow Peeps at the factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The eyes are printed onto marshmallow Peeps at the factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. | William Thomas Cain, Getty Images

Peeps: You either love them or hate them. If you fall into the former camp, you might be able to sate your sweet tooth while serving a good cause. For a limited time, donors who make a $5 contribution to the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV) will receive a chance to win a trip for four people to the Peeps factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In addition to an exclusive tour, the winner will receive $250 to spend at the Peeps and Company Store. Airfare and accommodations will also be covered.

The contest is appropriately called the Peeps Helping Peeps Sweepstakes. The donations will go toward funding school scholarships, mental health services, and other educational programs for local students. For each $5 donation, you’ll receive a chance to win a rare look at how the Easter candy gets made. Like Willy Wonka's fictional candy factory, the Peeps factory has never before welcomed visitors.

“Although we’ve had many requests and lots of fans show up at our doors over the years, the Peeps factory has never been open to the public,” Matt Pye, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Just Born Quality Confections, which makes Peeps and other candies, said in a statement. “We couldn’t think of a better reason to open our doors for the first time ever than by teaming up with our local United Way to help give back to the community that Peeps calls home.”

Few people have ever seen Peeps being made, but it’s undoubtedly a sight to behold. The factory churns out an average of 5.5 million Peeps per day; in a year, that's enough marshmallow chicks (and bunnies) to circle the Earth twice.

To enter the sweepstakes, visit the UWGLV’s website and make a donation before April 8, 2019. You can also text “peepsunited” to 40403 to make a donation.