Prince Polo is a Polish chocolate wafer produced since 1955 in Cieszyn by the Olza SA factory (currently owned by the Mondelez International concern). It consists of four layers of wafer combined with chocolate mass. Prince Polo wafer is known to all Poles, regardless of age. But it has been successful not only on the domestic market: this Polish sweetness can also be found in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine (under the name of Siesta) and Iceland. And it is probably the only country in the world where the inhabitants of this chocolate wafer have an even stronger emotional bond than even Poles!

How did it come about?

Prince Polo appeared in Iceland as early as the mid-1950s. And it was in the period when the import of sweets was prohibited on the island (to protect domestic industry). So how did it happen that the Polish delicacy ended up there after all? It started with the Icelandic trade offer - Icelanders offered Poles herring (and as you know - Poles love herring and not only for a snack). In return, the Poles offered to export vodka and wood to Iceland. And somehow it turned out that they added Prince Polo wafers to the offer.

The art of combining

Although the proposal to import Polish waffle was met with a warm response from Icelandic trading partners, the matter was hampered by the aforementioned ban on the import of sweets to the island. Nevertheless, as it turned out, both Poles and Icelanders are masters of combining. They coped with the topic efficiently and cleverly. How? It was indicated in the commercial lists that Prince Polo were sponge cakes which constituted a separate category of goods. This procedure proved successful, and as early as 1955 a ship with Icelandic herring going to Poland passed a ship carrying vodka, wood and quite unusual biscuits.

Love at the first bite

Icelanders quickly fell in love with Prince Polo, which in their country is called Prins Póló. It was for a long time the only available foreign confectionery, which in a way generated a lot of demand. The chocolate waffle quickly became part of Icelandic everyday life: it accompanied children at school, adults at work, grandparents gave it to their grandchildren and they eagerly snacked on it with coffee or tea. In its heyday, the statistical Icelander ate a whole kilogram of Prince Polo a year.

In 1982, the import ban was lifted, making the confectionery market in Iceland more diverse. Nevertheless, Prince Polo even today beats other products on the head - its consumption is half a kilogram per capita. The iconic wafer can be bought everywhere - in every bar (Iceland is dominated by an immortal set consisting of Coca-Cola, Hot Dog and Prince Polo), a shop or a gas station.

Wafer in stores, books and obituaries

Prince Polo has great sentimental value for Icelanders. This was emphasized by the Icelandic President, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who visited Poland in 1999, with the words "A whole generation of Icelanders grew up on two things - American Coca-Cola and Polish Prince Polo!". The wafer struck so much into the consciousness and everyday life of Icelanders that when its stocks ran out for a while in the 1980s (due to the introduction of martial law in Poland), it was written about it on the front pages of newspapers!

The theme of the iconic wafer has become a permanent element of Icelandic culture - both the "lower" and the high. One of the most popular Icelandic bands is called "Prinspóló" (and it is no coincidence).

The Icelandic Nobel Prize winner Halldor Laxness also mentions the wafer in his literary work - one of the heroes of his novel "Kristnihald undir Jokli" is greeted with the words "Coffee will be served in a moment. And Prince Polo, of course ”.

Mentions and mentions of Prince Polo quite often also appear in… obituaries. This is due to the fact that Prince Polo is also present in the memories of the deceased, elderly, which was simply a part of life and a frequent sweet gift that grandparents gave to their children and grandchildren.

 

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