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Behind the popular pepparmint rock candy stands a strong woman
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17 October 2024
Follow in the footsteps of Amalia Erikson – the woman who put Gränna on the world map with her persistence and eye for opportunity. This guide takes you to the places where her story is still present in the very ground beneath your feet.
The polkagris (traditional Swedish candy stick) was invented in the mid-1800s by Amalia Erikson, a widow who, against all odds, established her business at a time when entrepreneurship was almost exclusively reserved for men. She defied both poverty and social norms – and laid the foundation for a tradition that lives on to this day.
Amalia Erikson was born in 1824 in Jönköping. Her parents were a maid and a farrier. She had four siblings, and the family lived under modest conditions. When Amalia was only nine years old, her mother passed away, followed by her father and siblings the following year during a cholera epidemic. She grew up working as a maid.
When her employer decided to move to Gränna, Amalia followed – a decision that would change her life. It was in Gränna that she met the love of her life, tailor Anders Erikson.
The couple married and soon after received the happy news that they were expecting twins. Tragically, one child was stillborn, while their surviving daughter was named Ida. Life took another turn when Anders died of dysentery just a week after Ida’s birth.
Once again, Amalia found herself alone – but now with her baby daughter to care for. It is said that she often expressed her fate with the words: “No one is as lonely as I am.”
The inventor of the pepparmint rock candy cane
Amalia had to find a way to support herself and her daughter. Despite the hardships, she was determined to manage on her own.
In 19th century Sweden, equality was still far away. Women were excluded from most of business life and could only start their own enterprise if they could show special social reasons.
📍 Visit the site: Brahegatan 2, 563 32 Gränna
Amalia saw an opportunity and applied for permission to run a confectionery business. Her application was approved, and she began selling sweets for festive occasions. It was then that she invented the polkagris.
In her kitchen, she created the now-famous red and white candy stick, selling it from her living room. Skilled at her craft, Amalia quickly turned the polkagris into a success. The candy made her wealthy and influential in Gränna. She became so well known that even Prince Carl and Princess Ingeborg visited her bakery.
📍 Visit the site Gränna Church – The town’s jewel, located along Brahegatan, at Norra Kyrkogränd 2
Amalia Erikson lived a long and remarkable life. She passed away in 1923 at the age of 99. Her daughter Ida carried on her legacy, continuing to make polkagris until 1945. Today, mother and daughter rest side by side in Gränna’s cemetery, where you will also find an information board.
📍 Visit the site/Cemetery: Skiftesvägen 1, 563 31 Gränna. On Gravar.se you can find the exact location: Gr 10, 16, 17
Since 1997, a bronze statue of Amalia Erikson, created by artist Lena Lervik, has stood in Södra Parken on Brahegatan. Parking is available along the street, though in summer it can be crowded – expect a short walk. Right next to the statue is Hotel Amalias Hus – said to be the very place where Amalia baked her first polkagris.
📍 Statue location: Brahegatan, 563 32 Gränna Coordinates: 57°47'19.2"N 14°13'51.1"E
Today, the EU has granted the polkagris a Protected Geographical Indication. A genuine “Gränna Polkagris” must be made in a specific way, in northern Småland on the eastern shore of Lake Vättern, within Gränna parish. This recognition further marks the polkagris as a product of quality and tradition.
In Gränna, you can do much more than just buy polkagris to take home – you can also watch the traditional craft being practiced and even try making your own.