A 67-year-old woman from Wisconsin in the United States has reclaimed a Guinness World Record after building up a huge collection of matching salt and pepper packets.
Linda Schulz, from Brookfield, now owns 754 matching pairs of the small paper or plastic packets that come with takeaway meals — enough to make anyone’s condiment drawer jealous.
Schulz first won the world record in 2024, when her collection numbered 494 pairs. She then lost the title in 2025 to fellow collector Salacnib “Sonny” Molina, who had built up 594 pairs. Determined to get the record back, Schulz kept collecting until she reached 754 matching pairs this year.
Her hobby began simply, with salt and pepper packets picked up from an Arby’s restaurant. Since then, her collection has grown to include packets from all over the place, with her favourites being Hawaiian-shirt-themed ones from Hawaiian Airlines.
“I find collecting very interesting and fun,” Schulz said. “To have a goal of a Guinness World Records title makes this hobby even more fun and interesting!”
Guinness World Records checks and confirms collections like Schulz’s to make sure every pair genuinely matches before handing out an official title.
Schulz’s story is a reminder that even everyday items — the sort of thing most people throw away without a second thought — can become a fun and record-breaking hobby with enough patience.
Te Reo Māori
I Riro Anō i a Ia te Rekoata ā-Ao mō ngā Kōpaki Tote me te Pepa
Kua riro anō i tētahi wahine 67 tau te pakeke, nō Wisconsin i Amerika, tētahi Rekoata ā-Ao a Guinness, whai muri i tana kohi i tētahi kohinga nui o ngā kōpaki tote me te pepa e ōrite ana.
Ko Linda Schulz, nō Brookfield, kei a ia ināianei 754 takirua e ōrite ana o ērā kōpaki iti, pepa mai rānei, kirihou rānei, e haere tahi ana me te kai tākawe — he māha rawa atu hei whakaruarua i tētahi atu kaikohi.
I riro tuatahi i a Schulz te rekoata ā-ao i te tau 2024, i te wā e 494 ngā takirua o tāna kohinga. Kātahi i ngaro i a ia te taitara i te tau 2025 ki tētahi atu kaikohi, ki a Salacnib “Sonny” Molina, i whai 594 ngā takirua. I roto i tana hiahia kia riro anō te rekoata i a ia, i kohi tonu a Schulz kia eke ai ki te 754 ngā takirua ōrite i tēnei tau.
I tīmata māmā noa iho tana mahi ahurei, mā ngā kōpaki tote me te pepa i riro mai i tētahi wharekai Arby’s. Mai i taua wā, kua whānui haere tana kohinga ki ngā kōpaki mai i ngā wāhi katoa, ā, ko āna mea pai rawa atu ko ngā kōpaki mai i Hawaiian Airlines, he mea whakaahua hāte Hawaiian.
“He tino pai, he tino ngahau taku kohikohi,” e ai ki a Schulz. “Mā te whai whāinga kia riro mai tētahi taitara Guinness World Records, ka ngahau ake, ka pai ake anō tēnei mahi ahurei!”
Ka tirotirohia, ka whakaūtia e Guinness World Records ngā kohinga pēnei i tā Schulz, kia mōhio ai he ōrite pono ia takirua i mua i te tuku i tētahi taitara ōkawa.
He whakamahara te kōrero mō Schulz, ko ngā mea o ia rā — te momo mea ka maka kētia e te nuinga me te kore whakaaro anō — ka taea te noho hei mahi ahurei ngahau, whakapakari rekoata hoki, mehemea he manawanui tō tētahi.
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