Yankie Bar

History

Just after the Second World War, Danish candy producer Toms were contacted by the United States high command in Germany, which commissioned Toms to produce a candy bar for the American troops in Germany to avoid transporting such products across the Atlantic. In return, the U.S. would supply Toms with the required amount of cocoa beans. The chocolate bar was named Yankie Bar after the American soldiers (Yankees). The spelling with "-ie" was chosen to avoid Danes mispronouncing "-ee". Ten years later, in 1956, Toms launched the Holly Bar, similar to the Yankie bar, but with white nougat and roasted hazelnuts.

In its marketing, Toms relied on Americophilia to sell the Yankie Bar. The brand was damaged by the Vietnam War, when "yankees go home" became a common anti-American chant, but its popularity rebounded after the war ended. During the presidency of Jimmy Carter, Toms launched an advertising campaign featuring a lookalike of the president.

The Yankie Bar is similar to the European version of the Mars Bar.

References

References

1. "Yankie baren runder et skarpt hjørne". Berlingske.
2. "History of Toms".
3. "Derfor hedder det Yankie-bar: Elsket dansk chokoladebar fylder 70 år".
4. "Vidste du det? Derfor hedder det en Yankie bar".
5. DigitasLBi/Toms. "Toms - History of Toms".