Prince Polo
A Polish chocolate-covered wafer bar introduced in 1955 and sold domestically and internationally under several names.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Prince Polo is a Polish confectionery brand best known for a rectangular chocolate-covered wafer bar. The original product consists of four wafer layers joined by three layers of chocolate-flavoured filling and coated in chocolate. It was introduced in 1955 by Olza S.A. in Cieszyn, during the early period of the Polish People's Republic. The bar became one of Poland's most recognisable and commercially important confectionery products, with its early metallic gold-coloured wrapper contributing strongly to its visual identity. The brand's development reflects both the continuity of a long-established Polish confectionery business and the later consolidation of the international chocolate industry. Olza, the company associated with the Cieszyn production site, had been founded in 1920. In 1993 it was acquired by Kraft Jacobs Suchard, which later became part of Mondelez International. Prince Polo therefore moved from a Polish state-socialist-era product environment into the portfolio of a major global food company, while retaining its Polish identity and core wafer format. A significant packaging change took place in 1995. The brand received a revised logo, and the bar moved from a paper wrapper to sealed plastic packaging. This change modernised presentation and supported the introduction of additional product variants. Hazelnut, or Orzechowy, was introduced in 1996, followed later by milk-chocolate, coconut and Premium versions. A larger XXL format of 52 grams was also added. These extensions broadened the range without abandoning the central proposition of a chocolate-coated wafer snack. Prince Polo has a substantial regional and international footprint. In the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, the product is sold under the name Siesta. In Estonia, Indonesia, Greece, Romania, Moldova, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iraq and Libya, it has been marketed under the name Ekstra-55. In Iceland it is commonly known as Prins Póló. The different names reflect local-market branding rather than a separate product concept. Iceland has been especially important to the brand's popular reputation. Nielsen measurements cited in reference material identify the bar as the country's best-selling chocolate bar for decades. For many years, it was also described as one of the few chocolate bars widely available there. The Icelandic association became sufficiently strong to inspire popular-cultural references, including the name Prins Póló used by an Icelandic music project and by a song performed by Magnús Ólafsson. In Poland, the brand remains associated with everyday mass-market confectionery: recognisable, widely distributed and positioned as an accessible chocolate wafer rather than a luxury chocolate product.
History
Prince Polo was created by Olza S.A. in Cieszyn and introduced in 1955, making it a product of the early years of the Polish People's Republic. Its formula was based on a simple, durable confectionery structure: four thin wafer sheets held together by three layers of chocolate-flavoured filling and covered in chocolate. The format was suitable for individual snacking and could be distributed as a packaged bar. Its metallic gold-coloured wrapper became a particularly recognisable part of the product's identity. The Prince Polo name developed into one of the leading names in Polish confectionery. The brand's history is linked to Olza, a company founded in 1920 in Cieszyn. Although the bar originated in a Polish company and retained a strong national association, the ownership context changed substantially during the post-socialist period. In 1993, Kraft Jacobs Suchard acquired the company. Kraft's confectionery operations were later incorporated into Mondelez International, placing Prince Polo within a multinational food portfolio. The most clearly documented visual transition occurred in 1995. Prince Polo received a redesigned logo, while the packaging changed from paper wrapping to sealed plastic. This update marked a modernisation of the brand's shelf presentation and preceded a period of range expansion. In 1996 the company added a hazelnut version. Later additions included milk-chocolate, coconut and Premium variants, as well as a 52-gram XXL bar. These products preserved the wafer-and-chocolate foundation while offering differences in flavour, size or perceived level of indulgence. Prince Polo also developed a distinctive international pattern. In several Central and Eastern European and former Soviet markets, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, the product is sold as Siesta. In other markets, including Estonia, Indonesia, Greece, Romania, Moldova, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iraq and Libya, it uses the name Ekstra-55. The Icelandic market uses the form Prins Póló, and the bar has achieved particularly high cultural and commercial visibility there. Reference material citing Nielsen measurements describes Prince Polo as Iceland's best-selling chocolate bar for decades and notes that it was for many years among the few chocolate bars available in the country. This history helped the product become more than an imported snack in Icelandic popular culture. Prins Póló has been used as a musical name by Svavar Pétur Eysteinsson and as a nickname associated with a song performed by Magnús Ólafsson. In its home market, however, the brand's main significance remains that of an accessible, mass-market Polish wafer bar with an unusually durable identity across packaging changes, ownership changes and international renaming.
- 1996
Hazelnut variant added
[1]The Orzechowy hazelnut version expanded the Prince Polo range.
- 1995
Logo and wrapper redesign
[1]The logo was revised and paper wrapping was replaced with sealed plastic packaging.
- 1993
Kraft Jacobs Suchard acquisition
[1]Olza was purchased by Kraft Jacobs Suchard, later connected to Mondelez International through corporate succession.
- 1955
Prince Polo launched
[1]Olza introduced the chocolate-covered wafer bar in Poland.
- 1920
Olza founded in Cieszyn
[1]The company later associated with Prince Polo was established in Cieszyn.
Products and positioning
Mass-market chocolate wafer snack with strong Polish heritage and broad regional recognition.
Chocolate wafer bar · 1955
Original Prince Polo
The core Prince Polo product is a chocolate-covered wafer bar built from four wafer layers and three layers of chocolate-flavoured filling. Its classic identity is associated with the metallic gold packaging used during the brand's earlier history. It is positioned as an accessible, everyday confectionery snack rather than a premium chocolate item.
Flavoured chocolate wafer bar · 1996
Prince Polo Hazelnut (Orzechowy)
The hazelnut variant was the first specifically identified flavour extension in the documented range. Introduced in 1996, it kept the brand's wafer-and-chocolate format while adding a hazelnut-oriented flavour profile.
Chocolate wafer bar
Prince Polo Milk Chocolate
The milk-chocolate version is one of the later extensions of the Prince Polo line. Available documentation identifies the variety as part of the brand's expansion beyond the original product, but does not provide a separate launch date or detailed formulation.
Flavoured chocolate wafer bar
Prince Polo Coconut
The coconut version extends the familiar coated-wafer platform with a coconut flavour. It is documented as a later addition to the portfolio, although the available reference does not specify its launch year or market-by-market availability.
Premium-positioned chocolate wafer bar
Prince Polo Premium
Premium is described as a more luxurious version of the standard Prince Polo concept. The available source does not provide detailed ingredients, packaging specifications or a launch date, but identifies it as a range extension intended to offer a higher-end interpretation of the brand.
Large-format chocolate wafer bar
Prince Polo XXL
The XXL format is a larger Prince Polo bar weighing 52 grams. It adapts the established product to a bigger serving size and forms part of the brand's format expansion.
Brand decisions
1996
Range expansion with HazelnutProduct launchBackground
After its packaging refresh, Prince Polo expanded beyond the original bar.
Action taken
The company introduced the Hazelnut, or Orzechowy, version.
Aftermath
The hazelnut bar became the first specifically dated flavour extension in the documented product history; later additions included milk chocolate, coconut, Premium and XXL versions.
1995
Packaging modernisationStrategyBackground
The brand required updated visual presentation as it continued under new ownership and prepared for broader product development.
Action taken
Prince Polo introduced a new logo and replaced its paper wrapper with sealed plastic packaging.
Aftermath
The revised packaging preceded the introduction of additional flavours and formats, while the product remained identifiable as the same chocolate wafer brand.
1993
Transfer of Olza ownership to Kraft Jacobs SuchardM&ABackground
Prince Polo was an established Polish confectionery product when the company associated with it was acquired by Kraft Jacobs Suchard.
Action taken
Kraft Jacobs Suchard purchased Olza, bringing the brand into a larger international confectionery ownership structure.
Aftermath
The corporate lineage later led to Mondelez International, while Prince Polo continued to be marketed as a Polish-origin wafer brand.
Recent events
- 1996
Hazelnut Prince Polo variant introduced[1]
Product launch
The brand expanded beyond its original format with a hazelnut, or Orzechowy, version.
- 1995
Prince Polo packaging redesigned[1]
Product generation
The brand introduced a new logo and replaced its paper wrapping with sealed plastic packaging.
- 1993
Olza acquired by Kraft Jacobs Suchard[1]
M&A
The company associated with Prince Polo was purchased by Kraft Jacobs Suchard, which subsequently became part of the corporate history of Mondelez International.
- 1955
Prince Polo introduced in Cieszyn[1]
Product launch
Olza S.A. introduced the chocolate-covered wafer bar in Poland. The original product used four wafer layers, three layers of chocolate-flavoured filling and a chocolate coating.
Sources1 sources
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