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PayDay is a candy bar consisting of peanuts around a center of caramel, first introduced in 1932 by Frank Martoccio, founder of the F.A. Martoccio Macaroni Company and, later, head of Hollywood Brands, Inc. Martoccio also manufactured and sold ZERO (1920) candy bars.

The Mars family sold Hollywood Brands to Consolidated Foods Corporation (later to become Sara Lee) in 1967. Business was good when a fire destroyed the Centralia, Illinois, plant in 1980. With the assistance of the L.S. Heath and Sons Company and the ingenuity and hard work of the Centralia employees, Hollywood Brands continued production until a new facility could be constructed. The new building was opened in 1983. In 1988, Hollywood Brands was purchased by Huhtamaki Oy and became part of Leaf, Inc. Hershey Foods Corporation acquired the Leaf North America confectionery operations from Huhtamaki Oy of Helsinki, Finland in 1996. In 2007 a new variation of the PayDay bar was released, giving the bar a milk chocolate coating as the PayDay Chocolaty Avalanche.

• 1932 - The first PAYDAY Peanut Caramel Bar was introduced by Frank Martoccio, founder of the F.A. Martoccio Company and, later, head of Hollywood Brands, Inc.

• 1967 - Martoccio family sold Hollywood Brands to Consolidated Foods Corporation.

• 1980 - Fire destroyed the Centralia, Illinois plant. Production continued with help from L.S. Heath and Sons Company until a new facility could be constructed.

• 1988 - Hollywood brands was purchased by Huhtamaki Oy and became part of Leaf, Inc.

• 1980's - During the 1980's Hershey's put a nickel in every PayDay candy bar. This lasted for about 5 years.

• 1996 - Hershey acquired Leaf North America confectionery operation from Huhtamaki Oy of Helsinki, Finland.