In 1984, National Distillers launched DeKuyper Original Peachtree, the first peach flavor schnapps sold in the United States. Inspired by the Screwdriver (vodka and orange juice), Peachtree and orange juice was quickly popularized across the country, particularly among women seeking a sweeter, low calorie vodka alternative. By 1985, Peachtree was the #1 selling schnapps brand in the U.S.
As part of a wider marketing campaign, National Distillers worked with an ad agency to create names for DeKuyper schnapps drink recipes, eventually landing on “Fuzzy Navel” for the popular Peachtree and orange juice combination.
The prominence of mixed drinks incorporating schnapps during the 1980s, including the fuzzy navel, the Slippery Nipple, and the Teeny Weeny Woo Woo, was described by New York Times critic William Grimes as "a kind of cult, rallying points for young drinkers in search of fun and not too picky about taste".