The History of Polkagris

Amalia Eriksson was a woman who lived in Gränna. When her husband died, life became tough and she had to generate an extra income alongside her main job as a maid. That's when the idea was born to make and sell small caramels, also known as "pigs" which was the term for small sweets back then. One day, when Amalia's daughter Ida fell ill with a cold, she added peppermint oil to her sugar candies in the hope of alleviating Ida's symptoms, as it was believed at the time that peppermint had medicinal properties.

After experimenting with peppermint oil in her sugar candies, she discovered that the resulting polkagris was so delicious and popular that she started selling it as a sweet instead of medicine. This new creation became an immediate hit among the local population in Gränna, and she began making and selling her polkagris at markets around the country. Before she could start selling her polkagris, she had to apply for a permit from the magistrate in Jönköping, which she subsequently received in 1859.

Amalia Eriksson became known throughout the country for her invention of the polkagris, this because she was a self-taught entrepreneur and ran a successful business as a woman, which was very rare for that time. Today, polkagris is a well-known symbol of Sweden and a popular sweet both nationally and internationally. Gränna is known as "Polkagrisstaden" (the Polkagris City) and is home to several shops and factories that produce polkagris in various flavors and shapes.

Even today, our polkagrisar are made in the same way Amalia established in 1859, something we at Almas Polkagriskokeri are very proud of!