Confectionery manufacturer Menz said that Polly Waffle is making a comeback in late April – reimagined in bite-sized pieces.
“We have a long history of saving and supporting nostalgic Aussie brands like Violet Crumble and FruChocs, so we have been excited by the opportunity to bring Polly Waffle back,” said Menz CEO Phil Sims.
The marshmallow-filled and chocolate-coated wafer tube was last seen on Australian shelves in 2009.
In 2019, Menz acquired the rights to produce Polly Waffle from Nestle and spent the succeeding years researching and developing the product in South Australia.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic posted several restrictions, which slowed the progress of the Polly Waffle development.
The previous manufacturer also decommissioned the original machinery used to create Polly Waffle, which means development had to begin from scratch.
In 2020, Menz secured a $1 million funding commitment from the Australian federal government’s Manufacturing Modernisation Fund but this has been reduced to $350,000 due to changes in the investment requirement.
“To recreate the traditional bar would require even more time and funding, without the guarantee that it would have the same quality that consumers remember,” said Sims.
“It was so important to us that we didn’t put a subpar product in the market, especially one as much loved as Polly Waffle.”
