The best Swedish candy comes in so many forms. It can be soft like a fruit snack, chewy and dense like a gummy, or even a version of hard candy. The flavors can be sweet and sugary, sour and tangy, or even salty. The best Swedish candy brands use real fruit juice and fewer artificial sweeteners, resulting in a bright, fresh flavor. They are thoughtfully crafted, lean into playful aesthetics, with bright pastel colors and whimsical shapes that are almost as charming as the candies themselves.
If I had to guess, I’d say the average American only knows about Swedish candy thanks to Swedish Fish. And I’ll admit it—I used to be one of them. But there’s so much more to Swedish candy than those iconic fish-shaped gummies. In fact, did you know there’s a tradition in Sweden called lördagsgodis (translated as “Saturday candy”), in which families designate Saturdays as their official candy day, turning it into a weekly event for kids to look forward to? Basically, their candy culture is next level. You’ll find niches like salty Swedish licorice, sour candies, and other confections that you’ve probably never seen before, unless you’re being served videos about brands like Sockerbit and BonBon Swedish candy on TikTok. So let’s dive into the best Swedish candy brands you can actually get your hands on stateside—and call our local senators to suggest adopting “lördagsgodis” here, in America.
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- Bubs Greedy Sweet Ovals Banana Toffee
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This is my oddball pick, okay? Bubs Swedish candy is a brand you can find pretty easily in places like Walmart and on Amazon. These banana toffee ovals are “bizarre but compelling,” as I wrote in my notes like a pompous post-modern film critic. The texture reminds me of circus peanuts, chewy but soft and marshmallowy. I was most surprised by the flavor: these little ovals are toasty and complex. It starts on a note of mellow banana and seems to melt into warm, sweet toffee. They’re definitely unique. Some freak out there (me) will love them. That said, if you can’t stand artificial banana flavor, this is not the best Swedish candy you can buy. Seriously. Keep moving.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- BonBon’s Sour Elderflower Fish
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BonBon is an American candy company based in New York that makes all of its products in Sweden and imports them here. Their original “fish candy” look and taste pretty artisanal: they’re shiny, come in pretty pastel colors, and even have tiny detailed fish scales that are honestly just fun to admire. I’ll admit that their Sour Elderflower Fish aren’t very sour, but the elderflower is quite vibrant and light, with a muted sweetness to balance the floral notes. We liked BonBon’s other flavors, too, but their line of gummy candies have a pretty intense chew that might not appeal to everyone. If you love extra chewy, dense gummies with a waxier texture, definitely try them. Either way, BonBon has made a name for itself as one of the best Swedish candy brands on the market…even if the company is technically American. Pretty cool!
Credit: Merc / BonBon’s
- LÖRDAGSGODIS Gummy Cola
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Cola gummies seem to be popular in Swedish candy, and I love it. Apparently, I’m a big ol’ freak for candy that tastes like soda. (That’s the fun part of this job: You learn something new about yourself every taste test.) These moose-shaped gummies from IKEA’s grocery store have a juicy cola flavor that actually reminds me of their Vintersaga cola, which is a little sweeter and maltier than regular Coca-Cola. These gummies have one unfortunate setback, though: They don’t look like moose. They look like tiny penises. And that’s just an odd thing to realize if you’re the type of weirdo (again, me) who prefers sucking on gummies to chewing them. What can I say? I am who I am.
Credit: Merc / IKEA
- Swedish Fish Soft & Chewy Candy
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You didn’t think we wouldn’t include Swedish Fish in this ranking, did you? C’mon. It’s classic, nostalgic, and the brand that started our obsession with Swedish candy from the get-go. Swedish Fish brought that unique, firm chewiness and mild fruit flavor of Swedish candy to the American masses. They’re juicy, jelly-like, a little waxy, and the original red flavor carries a unique lingonberry tartness that you can’t find in U.S. candy brands. Swedish Fish are timeless—even as other brands of Swedish candy rise in popularity, these aren’t going anywhere.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- FYRTAKT Salty Licorice
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Here’s another staple of the Swedish candy world you might not know about: salty black licorice. IKEA’s Swedish salty licorice just understands the assignment. It has an addictive “burnt” salt flavor—and it’s the perfect level of saltiness, too. Other salty licorice we tried (we’re talking products from even the best Swedish candy brands included on this list) couldn’t get that savory-sweet balance right. Along with a satisfying, firm chew, IKEA’s salty licorice hits that smoky note that really sells it. Plus, it’s cheap!
Credit: Merc / IKEA
- Sockerbit Sour Mix
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If the Swedish candy gods were to gift me anything on this list, I’d ask for Sockerbit’s Sour Mix. Sockerbit, founded by a husband-and-wife duo who brought their love for Swedish candy from Sweden to New York in 2010, aims to introduce artisanal Scandinavian sweets to American palates. As a first-time buyer, I opted for Sockerbit’s candy mixes to sample some of their most popular offerings. Even with a few candies in the mix that weren’t my favorites, their sour mix is simply divine. I’m still not over how flavorful, juicy, and intensely sour their sour cherries and sour melons are—honestly, they might be the best sour gummies I’ve ever tried.
Credit: Merc / Sockerbit
- Sockerbit Sweet Mix
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While I always prefer sour over sweet candy, Sockerbit’s sweet Swedish candy mix has too many standouts in one bag to ignore. Their fruity gummy worms are juicy, bright, perfectly chewy, and carry a sweet lemonade flavor that actually makes you perk up when you try them. Their soft, squishy, lightly sweet and tangy gummy eggs are such a great reprieve from their denser, waxier candies. Their sweet people-shaped gummies have a coating of granulated sugar that gives a crunch with every bite—and it’s super addictive. Every treat in this mix showcases what the best Swedish candy should be: fun, unique, perfectly sweet, and fruity in a way that tastes bright and fresh. Sockerbit has firmly established itself as one of the best Swedish candy brands around—and they make it so easy for new candy seekers to get a taste of Sweden’s finest sweets. We highly recommend trying if you get the chance!
Credit: Merc / Sockerbit
Best Bubs
Best BonBon’s Flavor
Best Jelly Colas
Best Nostalgic
Best Salty Licorice
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other Swedish candy we tried: Swedish Fish Snapple, BonBon Sockerbit, Bubs Greedy Sour Ovals, Ahlgrens Bilar Original, Bubs Salty Octopus Bag, Sockerbit Ferrari Bites
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!