A characteristic Dutch treat that has historic roots in the Dutch capital Den Haag is threatened with extinction, but hometown forces are working hard to keep it alive and bring it home.
Haagse Hopjes, a coffee-flavored semi-hard candy sold wrapped in white paper, is being discontinued by its maker, who says there’s no longer enough demand for it to make it worth making. The candy is now owned by Swedish company Cloetta and made in Italy. The company told Dutch press that “It is always sad when demand drops for one of our brands, especially one with such a rich history.”
The candy’s origin story is that early 19th-century Baron Hendrik Hop, who was addicted to coffee, left a cup of sweetened milky coffee on a heater overnight by accident and discovered in the morning it had hardened into a still-edible treat. A neighbor, who was a confectioner, made them into a commercial product.
A local political party, Hart voor Den Haag, has already called on the city council to buy the rights and bring production back to the city. It’s also calling for a statue of Hop outside his former home so that tourist can pose with him for photos.
Another campaigner, Jan van der Laan, who operates a small Hopjes museum, open one day a month, has proposed that the city take advantage of the upcoming NATO summit in the city to give a can of Hopjes to diplomats and journalists to drum up demand.
Editor’s Personal Note: While deeply respecting local feeling and affection for Hopjes, and despite many of my relatives love for them, I must warn that they aren’t really worth the work to get the sticky remains from your teeth.
