8 Best Swedish Candy Brands to Try First

The best Swedish candy brands do not taste like the usual grocery-store gummy aisle. Swedish candy is bigger on chewy foam, bright sour coatings, salty licorice, and mix-and-match textures that make one handful feel completely different from the next. If you have seen colorful BUBS skulls all over TikTok or heard Scandinavians get serious about licorice, this is where the hype starts to make sense.

For US candy fans, the fun is not just finding one great bag. It is trying the mix of viral favorites, classic Swedish staples, and unexpected picks that make a Swedish candy haul worth sharing. Here are eight brands to know, plus the easiest way to choose your first order.

8 Best Swedish Candy Brands to Know

1. BUBS

BUBS is the headline act for a reason. This Swedish brand is known for its wildly colorful foam gummies, playful shapes, and soft, bouncy bite. Think banana-shaped foams, sour skulls, fruity ovals, and flavors that are sweet, tart, and much more intense than they look.

The appeal is texture as much as flavor. BUBS candy has that airy, chewy foam feel that keeps it from being dense or sticky, making it dangerously easy to keep reaching back into the bag. Many BUBS varieties are vegan and gelatin-free, which is a major bonus for shoppers looking for plant-based candy without settling for boring flavors. Still, check the individual package when ingredients matter to you, since recipes can vary by product.

Start here if you want the Swedish candy everyone is posting, filming, and bringing to taste-test nights. Sour Skull Foam, Banana Bubs, and mixed foam bags are especially good first picks.

2. Malaco

Malaco is a true Swedish candy classic. It is the brand behind some of the country’s most recognizable mix bags, including Gott & Blandat, which literally means “good and mixed.” That name tells you exactly what to expect: a little fruity, a little sour, a little chewy, and plenty of variety.

Malaco is ideal for people who cannot commit to one flavor or texture. A typical bag can move from fruit gummies to licorice pieces to tangy shapes in a few bites. It is the candy equivalent of building a perfect playlist instead of replaying one song.

For a first Swedish candy order, Malaco is one of the safest choices because it gives you a broad taste of the Swedish style. If you already love black licorice, look for Malaco varieties with a licorice-heavy mix. If you do not, choose a fruit-forward bag first. Swedish licorice is delicious, but it is not always a beginner flavor.

3. Cloetta

Cloetta has been part of Swedish candy culture for generations, and its range covers a lot of ground. You may know the brand through Ahlgrens Bilar, the famous little foam cars that have become an essential Swedish candy experience. They are soft, fruity, and hard to compare to anything in the American candy aisle.

Ahlgrens Bilar are less aggressively sour than many modern gummies. Their flavor is light, sweet, and slightly mysterious, while the foam texture is wonderfully squishy. They are a great pick for kids, nostalgic candy lovers, or anyone who wants something mellow after a bag of sour gummies.

Cloetta is also a strong brand for classic Swedish candy and chocolate. Its products feel familiar to locals but still novel to American shoppers, especially when you try them alongside newer viral candy. Add foam cars to a mixed box when you want an authentic classic, not just a trend.

4. Marabou

If your Swedish candy order needs chocolate, Marabou belongs in the box. This iconic Swedish brand is loved for its smooth milk chocolate, which has a softer, creamier profile than many standard US chocolate bars. The original milk chocolate bar is simple in the best way, but the flavored varieties are where the fun begins.

Marabou is known for mixing milk chocolate with everything from crunchy additions to salty notes and classic Scandinavian flavors. It makes an easy gift because it feels premium without being fussy. A chocolate bar also balances a candy haul full of sour, fruity, and licorice flavors.

The trade-off is obvious: if you are ordering in hot weather, chocolate needs more care than gummies and foam candy. For a long-distance treat box, consider pairing one or two Marabou bars with candy that can handle any season.

5. Candy People

Candy People captures the magic of Swedish pick-and-mix candy in ready-to-enjoy bags. Sweden’s loose-candy culture is legendary, and Candy People makes it easier to get that colorful, anything-goes assortment without standing in front of a wall of bins.

Expect bright fruit flavors, sour belts, chewy gummies, foamy pieces, and plenty of textures in the same bag. This is a great brand for movie nights, office snack tables, birthdays, and group taste tests because there is usually something for everyone.

Choose Candy People when variety is the goal. It is especially useful for first-time buyers who want to learn whether they prefer sour candy, softer foams, fruity gummies, or more traditional Swedish flavors before stocking up on a favorite.

6. Lakritsfabriken

Lakritsfabriken is for the licorice fans who want to go beyond the basic black twist. Swedish licorice can be sweet, salty, herbal, creamy, chocolate-covered, or sharply salty with salmiak, a flavor made with ammonium chloride that is hugely popular across Scandinavia.

This is not a brand to buy blindly if you hate black licorice. Salty licorice is a real love-it-or-not flavor, and the intensity can surprise American candy fans. But if you enjoy black licorice, anise, or bold savory-sweet snacks, Lakritsfabriken can become the most memorable part of your order.

Try a milder sweet licorice or chocolate-coated option first. Then work your way toward salmiak if you want the full Scandinavian experience. It is the candy challenge that can turn into an obsession.

7. Pändy

Pändy brings a more modern, ingredient-conscious angle to Swedish candy. The brand is known for lower-sugar candy options that still aim for a chewy, satisfying gummy-candy experience. It is a smart pick for shoppers who want to cut back on sugar without giving up their snack ritual.

Lower-sugar candy always comes with a trade-off. The texture and sweetness may feel different from a classic gummy, and some people are sensitive to sugar substitutes. But for fans of better-for-you snacks, Pändy is worth adding to the lineup, especially if you want something for weekday snacking alongside full-indulgence favorites.

It also makes a thoughtful choice for a gift box with different preferences in mind. One person can grab the sour foam candy, another can go for chocolate, and the lower-sugar option does not feel like an afterthought.

8. Gränna Polkagriskokeri

For something distinctly Swedish, look for polkagris candy from Gränna Polkagriskokeri. Polkagris is a classic red-and-white peppermint candy from the town of Gränna, where the tradition has been part of Swedish confectionery history for generations.

It is a different lane from gummy skulls and sour mix bags. Polkagris is crisp, minty, and old-school, often made as a twisted stick or crushed into smaller pieces. The simple peppermint flavor makes it a strong palate cleanser after a bigger candy tasting session.

This is a great choice for Scandinavian expats, candy-history fans, and gift buyers who want a box to feel more personal than a pile of viral gummies. It proves Swedish candy culture has room for both TikTok-famous foam skulls and traditions that have lasted for decades.

How to Build Your First Swedish Candy Mix

The best first order is not eight bags of the same sour gummy. Build contrast into your candy mix. Choose one viral foam favorite such as BUBS, one classic mixed bag from Malaco or Candy People, one mellow foam candy like Ahlgrens Bilar, and one chocolate bar from Marabou. That gives you enough variety to find your lane quickly.

Then make a choice based on your taste tolerance. Add Lakritsfabriken if you are curious about real Swedish licorice, or choose Pändy if lower-sugar candy is more your speed. Polkagris is the finishing touch for anyone who wants a traditional Swedish sweet in the mix.

Starter boxes and themed candy boxes are especially useful when you are shopping for a group or giving Swedish candy as a gift. They take out the guesswork, look generous when they arrive, and give everyone a chance to claim a favorite. Sweden Candystore curates authentic candy direct from Sweden, so you can spend less time searching for imitations and more time picking your next must-try bag.

Start with the candy that makes you curious. Maybe it is the neon sour skulls, the mysterious foam cars, or the salty licorice your friend insists you have to try. Swedish candy is at its best when you treat it like a taste test, pass the bag around, and let the surprising favorites win.