Polly Waffle facts for kids
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| Owner | Menz Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1947 |
| Discontinued | 2009 |
| Previous owners | Hoadley's |
Polly Waffle is a popular Australian chocolate bar. It weighs about 50 grams. This yummy treat has a crispy waffle wafer shaped like a tube. Inside, it's filled with soft, fluffy marshmallow. The whole bar is covered in a tasty compound chocolate coating.
The Polly Waffle was first made in 1947 by the Hoadley's Chocolate Company. Over the years, other companies like Rowntree Mackintosh Confectionery and Nestlé took over its production. Sadly, it was stopped in 2009. But good news! In 2019, an Australian company called Robern Menz (now Menz Confectionery) decided to bring it back. The Polly Waffle returned to stores in April 2024 as small "Bites."
Contents
History of Polly Waffle
How Hoadley's Chocolates Started
Abel Hoadley started his business in 1889. He opened a jam factory in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. His company was called A. Hoadley & Company. By 1895, his business grew very fast. He built a big, five-story building for his factory.
Hoadley made many different food products. These included fruit preserves like jams and jellies. He also made candied fruits, sauces, and confectionery (sweets). He had many workers, sometimes up to two hundred people. By 1901, he had four factories for preserving food. He also had a large factory just for sweets. Hoadley bought another company and started making vinegar, cocoa, and chocolate.
The Birth of Polly Waffle
In 1910, Abel Hoadley sold his jam business. Then, in 1913, he created a new company. It was called Hoadley's Chocolates Ltd. In the same year, Hoadley made his first box of assorted chocolates.
The very first Polly Waffle bar was made in Melbourne in 1947. The idea for this unique chocolate bar came from Mayfield B. Anthony. He was an accounts supervisor and a friend of the Hoadley family.
Changing Hands: Rowntree and Nestlé
In 1972, a company called Rowntree Mackintosh Confectionery bought Hoadley's Chocolates. The company then became known as "Rowntree Hoadley Ltd." Later, in 1988, a big global company called Nestlé bought Rowntree.
At first, the chocolate brands from Rowntree were called Nestlé-Rowntree. But eventually, Nestlé stopped using the 'Rowntree' name completely.
During the 1970s, Polly Waffle had a famous advertising slogan. People would hear "mmm, crunch, aah!" when they saw ads for the bar.
Why Polly Waffle Disappeared
In mid-2009, Nestlé released a new version of Polly Waffle. It had a new recipe and new packaging. The new bar looked the same as the old one. However, its waffle wafer was more sugary and brittle.
On November 23, 2009, Nestlé decided to stop making Polly Waffle. This happened after 62 years of production. The main reason was that sales were not very good.
The Return of Polly Waffle
After Polly Waffle was discontinued, many fans missed it. In 2015, a company from Melbourne called Chocolate Works made a similar product. They called it "The Great Aussie Waffle Log." They made it because people on social media wanted the classic bar back.
Then, in 2019, there was exciting news! An Adelaide-based sweet maker, Robern Menz, signed a deal with Nestlé. They got the rights to produce Polly Waffle. This happened a year after they also bought the rights to make another classic Australian treat, the Violet Crumble, from Nestlé.
Robern Menz, which rebranded as Menz Confectionery in January 2022, announced plans to bring the chocolate bar back. The company worked hard to bring it back to stores. In April 2024, the Polly Waffle officially returned! It came back as "Polly Waffle Bites." These are small, bite-sized pieces of the classic Polly Waffle.
