If you ask any Serbian person what is his or her favorite candy, you will mostly hear one word. Bananica (Serbian for “little banana”) is more than just candy – it is a memorable part of childhood in Yugoslavia. That is also one of the most recognizable Serbian brands.
Bananica – memorable part of childhood in Yugoslavia
Bananica, as the name says, is a banana-shaped candy. It is similar to marshmallow (but of course, the taste is different). The foamy middle part is glazed with chocolate. The taste is pretty unique and hard to describe, so we invite you to taste it yourself! It is one of the cheapest candies on the market, costing around 20 dinars, which is less than 20 cents. Of course, it is really popular and available everywhere – next to the checkouts in markets, on kiosks and gas stations, and even in vending machines. Just look for the recognizable red package and grab a few!
Bananica is an inseparable part of the childhood of many generations. Even for us adults, it is more than just candy. Bananica is a “comfort food”, reminding us of moments with loved ones and birthday parties. There are two flavors of bananica nowadays. Besides the first and original one, there is also skroz čoko bananica (completely choco bananica), which has the additional chocolate aroma added to the foamy part of it.
It is no surprise that bananica is the best selling product. According to the manufacturer, they sell over 70 million of them annually! They also export bananica to many countries worldwide. So, do not be surprised if you see it in your local market as well. There are many different producers of it, but only one is the original one. That is bananica by Soko Štark.
Soko Štark candies and snacks
The manufacturer of bananica is the famous Soko Štark company. And we simply love their products! They have a long history and tradition and they always throw us back to childhood. From 1922, generations of Yugoslavian and Serbian people grew up eating those candies and snacks. So of course, we all have fond memories of them. They produce different chocolates, with “Najlepše želje” (in English: Best wishes) being the most famous. We suggest you try piškote (ladyfingers), keksići (small cookies, which come in different flavors), napolitanke (wafers), and tea biscuits. Besides bananica, they make other chocolate-bar snacks – ZaZa, Sweet, Fazon, and Kokodu. If you love healthy food – integral biscuit Integrino is the best snack for you.
If you do not eat sweets – you can still enjoy Štark products. The most popular are Prima salty sticks. We equally love smoki, which is made of puffed cornmeal grits, with peanut flavor. It is one of the favorite party snacks. You can also try čoko smoki, which is coated in chocolate. Many people like that sweet and salty combination and we are pretty sure you will find it interesting as well.
All the products are available in supermarkets. Also, there are several specialized Soko Štark stores in Belgrade and other Serbian cities. So share the joy – bring some of the candies to your family and friends back home. We are sure that is the best “souvenir” you can bring from Serbia!
