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Growing up in Spain, it’s astounding to see how some of the things I grew up with are held to high regard by Americans. Like shopping at farmers markets, buying European skincare at a much cheaper price and having access to free healthcare (but that’s a whole other thread).
The latest European cultural experience that has taken social media by storm – specifically among American TikTokers – is Swedish candy.
With two locations in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn, the Swedish candy shop BonBon can span hour-long lines of eager customers, mostly Gen Z and millennials. They may have been influenced by word-of-mouth or a TikTok video. Who knows? The truth is that the Swedish candy fever in the US is in full swing right now.
One employee who was interviewed by the local news said that there were people who flew in from other states just to go there because they saw it on TikTok. Yes, you read that correctly.
When I lived in Madrid, sometimes I would get chuches (candy) at the nearest convenience store when I got back from high school or on my way to college in the afternoon. Nonetheless, I can’t say I grew up crazy about them or anyone I knew for that matter.
What is it about Swedish candy that has US consumers by the throat? Before I get into it, I was fascinated to learn the dark side behind Sweden’s candy tradition.
In the 1930s, the dental health in Sweden was at its worst. Studies found that even 3-year-old children had 83% cavities in their teeth. Between the 40s and 50s, a study was performed on patients at the Vipeholm facility, a mental institution in Lund. To conduct the experiment, patients were given sticky candies in copious amounts. After the experiment, it was confirmed that sugar was the culprit of tooth decay. Those who were given sticky toffee every day had their teeth completely rotten.
As a result, the Swedish government launched Lördagsgodis (Lörda = Saturday + godis = candy) as a means to limit candy consumption to Saturdays only.
To this day, kids from all over Sweden look forward to Saturdays to indulge in candy. Other Nordic countries have followed suit in this tradition. In Norway for instance, candy is also a cultural touchstone.
Candy in Sweden is inescapable. Aisles with multi-tiered bulk bins containing endless candy varieties can be found in grocery stores, gas stations and movie theaters. The vibrant hues are a spectacle for the eyes as they are for the taste buds. Unlike other countries, candy in Sweden is not something people consume once in a blue moon, it’s a lifestyle.
From what I’ve seen in the pictures, the candy section in Sweden always has its own designated space. It is never an afterthought. In fact, it’s the star of the show.
Kandyz is one of the many candy shop chains with multiple locations in Sweden.
With 70 locations across Sweden (I actually counted them 😵😵 ), Hemmakväll is yet another candy shop chain.
In December 2024, Hemmakväll gave away free goodie bags to the first 100 customers who walked into their newly renovated store in Hässleholm. Store manager Madelene Stolt said: “We’re very pleased with the results. We expect our five tons of candy to sell out during the weekend”.
Located just a few miles from the Norway-Sweden border lies the Charlottenbergs Shopping Centrel. Not only is this mall a one-stop shop for Swedes and Norweigans, but it’s also where the world’s biggest candy shop is, Gottebiten. Many Norweigans cross the border to get their sugar fix there because it’s much cheaper than buying it in Norway. The store covers a whopping 3,500 square meters.
Circle K gas station
English translation of one of their candy promotions: “Hello to all of you sweet tooths! Now it’s a #candyparty at our stations. Until November 4th, you get half price on candy from Cloetta! Who wouldn’t want to miss this?”
Here’s what the concession of a movie theater in Stockholm looks like
Another movie theater
The New Yorker: “If any one particular country knows its candy, it’s Sweden, whose residents, according to a study by the Swedish Board of Agriculture, eat more per year per capita—more than thirty pounds per person each—than the citizens of any other nation.”
In the last year, more Swedish candy shops have been popping up in other US States, but the pioneers of selling Swedish candy by the bulk in the US are LA-based, husband and wife team, Stefan and Florence Ernberg, co-owners of Sockerbit.
According to an interview with VoyageLA, Stefan and Florence wanted to bring Swedish candy to the US to satisfy their yearnings for the sweets they used to eat back home, which they couldn’t find in the States. Sockerbit opened in 2010 in Greenwich Village, NYC. It was a very different time when Instagram did not exist. In the interview, they shared that the store was mostly frequented by Swedish customers and curious passersby. In 2014, they opened their LA location two blocks away from The Grove.
After 10 years, Sockerbit closed their NYC location in November 2020, but the LA location is still going stronger than ever! There’s not much foot traffic on 3rd Street. That’s why I was shocked to see the store packed with people hovering over the bins with a scoop and bag in tow on a gloomy Sunday at 6pm.
The astonishing variety of candy figures made me feel like I was in candy land: skulls, peach rings, pineapple fruit, pacifiers, flowers, hearts, lips, cats, soda bottles, fish, jelly men figures and strawberry licorice.
For those who want to amp up their candy tasting experience, Sweden is also known for its salty licorice candy, but these are definitely an acquired taste! Sockerbit carries a good variety, but not many gravitate towards them, so they’re in another section in the back of the store.
I picked an assortment of sour, sweet and foamy candies. I typically tend to steer away from the latter due to their bland taste, but these surpassed all my expectations.
What struck me the most about the candies was the flavor and texture. The Swedes primarily focus on using natural ingredients with natural colorings and fewer preservatives. When I eat American candy, I know that the flavor is going to be 100% artificial. Additionally, American candies have a stickier and harder texture due to gelatin, an animal derivative. The Swedes forgo gelatin in their candy by using cornstarch and other vegan-friendly ingredients. The result? An intense burst of fruity flavors in every bite, with a softer and fluffier texture than US drugstore gummies and jelly sweets.
Sweden is world-renowned in many industry fields. When they crack the code on something, they fire on all cylinders. Ikea, ABBA, Max Martin (the godfather of pop music), and Spotify are a few examples.
Side note: Did you know that back in the mid-late 1990s, music executives started sending artists like Britney Spears and NSYNC to Stockholm? Bangers that have defined pop music (“Baby One More Time”, “Toxic”, “I Want It That Way, “Bye Bye Bye”) were written, produced and recorded in the iconic Cheroin Studios. If I ever visit Stockholm, I’d love to go on a music tour and visit places like the ABBA Museum.
And now, back to the candy!
If you’ve watched TikTokers trying Swedish candy, you’ll know that the most popular brand that reigns over the Swedish candy landscape is Bubs. Just a few months ago, the company underwent a candy shortage due to the massive demand from international orders.
How did Bubs end up becoming one of Sweden’s leading candy brands?
The Lindstrom family created Bubs in 1992 in Jönköping, southern Sweden. Their goal was to create environmentally conscious candies that were innovative with exciting flavors. Bubs candies are vegan and gluten-free. The word Bubs stands for the initials of each family member: Bernt, Ulrik, Birgitta, and Stefan.
In 2023, the Lindstrom family sold the company to Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Sweden.
On the Bubs website, the company states how much pride they take in their modern and advanced equipment to produce their candy.
Before Bubs became a viral sensation, the company mainly supplied to Sweden and Nordic countries. Now, their biggest markets are the US, Australia and Asia. Conversely, not many Swedes are happy with the recent candy shortage. A user commented on an Instagram reel: “Stop stealing our candy”.
After getting Swedish candy a few times, which ones are my favorites?
Sweet: red cats, strawberry licorice and strawberry licorice with lemon filling.
Foamy: I love the flowers and the oval-shaped Bubs, specifically the banana + toffee and wild strawberry + pomegranate.
Sour: cola pacifiers, pineapples (this is the closest pineapple flavor I’ve ever tasted in a candy), strawberry pies, Bubs tutti frutti, peach clocks, strawberries and cherries.
As you can see, I’m drawn to red and pink candy because they really nail the strawberry flavor! I loved the pillowy-soft texture of the foamy Bubs. This feature is exactly what makes them stand out from other brands. The peach-flavored skulls (red and yellow) were good but not exceptional.
I really liked the burst of tropical flavors and unique foamy texture of the Bubs tutti frutti. The sour blue + yellow Bub was a pleasant surprise. It tasted like lemonade and blue Gatorade! I have yet to try the skull colas. In that same vein, I’ve heard great things about the pear and octopus. The latter is currently out of stock in most US Swedish candy shops!
I was already familiar with a few candies. In Spain, whenever I scooped up chuches, I mostly gravitated towards strawberry licorice, sour strawberries, sour cherries and sour peach hearts. However, the Swedish iterations of these candies truly blow them out of the water.
I thought I was going to have a strong aversion to the Bubs raspberry + licorice skull, but I ended up liking it a lot! The licorice wasn’t too overpowering and I loved how well it paired with the intense and fruity flavor from the raspberry. This Bub flavor is actually one Sweden’s best-selling candy!
The biggest disappointment was the Swedish fish. I just can’t get past its waxy, sticky texture, and I also find the fruit flavors to be very faint. These were one of the first candies that were introduced in Sweden, but I never see them get much love in the pick-and-mix bins.
In 2025, Kändi became LA’s newest Swedish candy shop but before I get into it, I want to briefly mention other places.
The stalwart Scandinavian furniture store Huset in Venice has become a Swedish candy destination on the Westside. When I went there in 2018, they had about 10 candy varieties. It seems that with the recent demand, they have jumped on the Swedish candy bandwagon by expanding their inventory and promoting it on Instagram. They’ve even designed their own candy bags!
Huset on IG: “We’re so happy to finally get more Swedish candy for you guys to try ☺️ Stop by the store or order online ✨”
IKEA sells its brand of sour gummies by the bag, but its selection is very limited and not very appealing to the masses. World Market (multiple locations) is another place where you can get your hands on lesser-known Swedish candy brands that are sold by the bag. Additionally, they carry Sockerbit’s pre-mixed candy pouches (in-store only).
Without a physical location, SoSweet is an online Swedish candy store based in LA. All of these stores ship nationwide.
The Swedish candy craze has hit the US pretty hard, and the times I’ve gone to Sockerbit, I was stunned to see people get $20 and $50 worth of candy. Even when I lived in Spain, I’d always get candy that I knew I was going to eat that day. When I leave the store and eat one candy out of the bag, it takes an IMMENSE amount of self-restraint to wait until I get home to eat the rest. If I got $20 worth of candy, I’d probably eat it all on the same day! My total usually comes between $5-$8.
When I visited Kändi, a mother was standing in line in front of me with her two kids. Each of them got about $15 worth of candy, including the mother. She didn’t bat an eyelid when the iPad showed $40 and proceeded to swipe her card.
If you’re European, you’re probably mystified by such a thing. For that amount, you can buy a full meal at a restaurant, get gas or go to the movies! On the YouTube shorts I’ve come across of TikTokers getting $30 worth of candy, one Swede commented: “People are paying that much for candy? You can get that many candies or even more for less than 5 euros here”.
However, it’s important to know that in the US, Swedish candy is a premium product, and with the new White House tariffs, it will only get more expensive. 😭
Something that I noticed is that customers who walked in had a joyous demeanor. My dad, who has never tried Swedish candy, said: “I want to go. It looks like a lot of fun! Please bring me some when you come back home.”
The 2024 article by Food & Wine Magazine, “Swedish Candy Could be the Key to Happiness”, begins with a statistic that Sweden is one of the happiest countries in the world.
As more Swedish candy shops are popping up in other states, it’s interesting to see how business owners want to make shopping for candy an encompassing experience: from the music to the decoration, and even the thoughtfully designed bags.
In 2025, Kändi opened its doors in a prime location in Studio City, just a few feet away from LA’s favorite ice cream shop, Salt & Straw. A wavy LED mirror welcomed you into the store with upbeat music playing in the background and colorful candy bins waiting to be dug in.
Three-time Grammy winner Olivia Rodrigo was seen shopping at Kändi back in March! What do you think her favorite sour candy is? Pun definitely intended. 🟣🟪 💜
Please note that the candy selection varies by store. Kändi does not carry the Bubs raspberry + licorice skulls or the sour pineapple. To see the full inventory, check out their website.
I had the chance to interview Kändi’s owner Lucas Halac, where we talked about our shared fascination with the Swedish candy culture.
Lucas: “I am not Swedish myself, so I am still pretty new to this all. But I have done a lot of research and learned about the culture. It’s all very interesting. It is great to see how much Swedish people love their candy!”
“My favorite candy, personally, is the Bubs Tutti Frutti. It’s a very sour tutti frutti flavor and the texture is what makes you love it so much. People describe it as foamy. It feels like a mix of gummy and marshmallow. It pulls and it’s very squishy!
How have the sales been since you opened the store?
Since opening, everything has gone very well! The first 2 weeks was very crazy busy, constant flows of people all day. Now it has died down a bit, but we are still doing very well. People are obsessed with their Swedish candy!
What is the best-selling candy at Kändi?
The most popular candy is definitely Bubs! We have 6 different types and flavors. The most popular is the Strawberry Pomegranate Oval Bub.
Swedish candy has been around for a long time. Do you think TikTok is solely responsible for its recent widespread success in the US?
I definitely think the main thing that blew up Swedish candy so much was TikTok. So many people started trying it and making videos that it was a domino effect.
But I do think Swedish candy has stuck around because of how delicious it is! As well as its unique shapes and textures. It tastes better than the candy in the US and it is made with no HFCS, no artificial dyes, no artificial flavoring, and healthier ingredients in general.
I believe the combination of it all has definitely helped Swedish candy go so viral and become the most popular and wanted candy!
End of interview
If you made it here, thank you for reading! Besides sharing facts about the viral effect of Swedish candy, I hope you learned something new today! If you’re new to the Swedish candy world, hopefully this post has sparked your curiosity to try it.
What do you think?