Some were disturbed, for others it was a harbinger of a delicious dessert on a warm afternoon. Today, however, it sounds especially nostalgic. The distinctive signal of Family Frost is the soundtrack of childhood for many millennials – yellow vans appeared on Polish streets in the early 1990s.
This is what nostalgia sounds like – not only in Poland
The Family Frost company offering the possibility of buying frozen food from a mobile cold store was founded in Germany in 1990. Although at the beginning of its activity it focused mainly on the sale of ice cream, later it also introduced frozen pizzas and fries to its assortment. Two years after its debut with its western neighbors, it appeared in Poland, and in the same year also in the Czech Republic and Hungary. The inhabitants of Portugal, Slovenia and Spain could also enjoy the products from yellow cars.
Today, the children of all these countries have grown up, but they all share fond memories of buying ice cream from a van whose arrival was announced by a loud, well-recognized melody. They share their memories on YouTube, where to this day some, in the pursuit of their past childhood, come across archival recordings of Family Frost cars driving around the world’s streets. “I remember asking my mother for a few pennies” and “I never made it in time to leave” are the most universal comments, but by far the most common are the big children’s emphasis on the musical theme of the arrival of the van.
Evening market or classical music?
Reddit users decided to find out what is the source of the characteristic melody. That it was a successful marketing ploy could be taken for granted – but was it the original idea of the Milchhof Eiskrem GmbH & Co KG Mettmann company behind the success of Family Frost? It turns out that its source was not found in Germany at all. Some Internet users pointed out that it was a fragment of a Swedish song.
Hi, I’m from Hungary and I’m consumed with curiosity. The iconic yellow van is a staple of my childhood, as are many others. Recently I was wondering who the author of this song was or if there was more to it, so I contacted the Hungarian branch of the company, who told me that the song came from a Swedish radio station that stopped broadcasting 30 years ago. I’d still like to know what you’re talking about. If you have any leads, feel free to write to me.
– user ServantOfSaTAN wrote in a thread dedicated to Swedish pop culture. He didn’t have to wait long for answers. Some thought it was a pop hit, others thought it was a cartoon theme. The truth turned out to be a bit more surprising. It is a classic composition “Storm och böljor tystnar’en”, often performed in the opera, behind which was CM Bellman, who created in the years 1740-1795. The beginning actually sounds familiar!
In 2002, Family Frost was taken over by Nestlé, and since 2008, the company has been owned by the German concern Eismann. In Poland, the company was replaced by Jago.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
