Sixty years after Born discovered a way to mechanize the manufacture of a seasonal spring candy made only in southern Pennsylvania, his chicks (and bunnies) are hotter than ever, thanks in part to more than 40 Peeps diorama contests throughout the country (including one this month at the Upper Arlington Senior Center).

Peeps have become such an iconic treat (or art medium) that the company said 2012 was its best financial year ever, with double-digit growth.

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Born’s father, Sam, started the company in Brooklyn after immigrating from Ukraine in 1910. In quick order, Sam invented the hard chocolate coating for ice-cream bars, ice-cream sprinkles and a machine to insert sticks into lollipops.

He advertised his candy as being so fresh it was “Just Born.” The name stuck, even after Sam moved the company to Bethlehem, Pa.