Foam car-shaped candy produced by Ahlgrens (now Cloetta) since the early 1950s. Available in red, pink, and white colors, Bilar are Sweden's best-selling candy product. The candy is made from aerated gelatin-based foam, creating a soft, light texture. The white Bilar flavor is a subject of ongoing national debate. See: Ahlgrens brand guide.
Aladdin
Aladdin (assortment box)
Marabou's flagship assorted chocolate box, launched in 1938. The Aladdin box contains approximately 20 different chocolate pieces with various fillings and flavors, and is Sweden's quintessential Christmas gift chocolate. The ritual of debating which Aladdin pieces are best is a genuine Swedish cultural touchstone. See: Aladdin guide.
Ammoniumklorid
Ammonium chloride / Salmiak
The compound that gives salty licorice (salmiakki) its distinctive savory, mineral taste. Also known as salmiak (from the historical name sal ammoniac), ammonium chloride is used in Scandinavian candy in concentrations that range from mildly salty to intensely flavored. It is generally recognized as safe at candy consumption levels.
B
Bilar
Cars
The plural of "bil" (car) in Swedish, specifically referring to the Ahlgrens Bilar foam candy. The car shape was inspired by post-war Sweden's enthusiasm for automobiles. When Swedes say "bilar" in a candy context, they mean the iconic foam car candy.
Bubs
Bubs (brand name)
Swedish candy brand founded in 1996 in Gothenburg, known for its vegan-friendly (pectin-based) gummies and foam candy. Famous for the Skalle (skull) gummy. Bubs pioneered gelatin-free candy in Sweden and remains the leading brand for plant-based Swedish candy. See: Bubs brand guide.
C
Choklad
Chocolate
Swedish for chocolate. Swedish choklad culture is dominated by Marabou, which has produced Sweden's most popular milk chocolate since 1916. The broader choklad category includes bars, pralines, assortment boxes, and seasonal products.
Cloetta
Cloetta (brand/company)
Sweden's largest confectionery manufacturer, founded in 1862. Cloetta owns multiple Swedish candy brands including Ahlgrens, Polly, Kexchoklad, and many others. Originally founded by Swiss brothers who settled in Sweden, Cloetta has grown through decades of acquisitions to become the dominant Swedish candy producer.
D
Daim
Daim (brand name, formerly Dajm)
Swedish chocolate bar featuring a core of crispy almond caramel toffee coated in milk chocolate. Launched in 1953, Daim is Sweden's most internationally recognized specifically Scandinavian chocolate product, sold widely at IKEA stores worldwide. The name was changed from "Dajm" to "Daim" for international markets. See: Daim brand guide.
F
Fazer
Fazer (Finnish-Swedish brand)
Finnish-Swedish confectionery and food service group, founded in Helsinki in 1891 by Karl Fazer. While Finnish in origin, Fazer has a strong presence in Swedish candy culture. Famous for Fazer Blue milk chocolate. See: Fazer chocolate guide.
Fika
Coffee break (with food)
Sweden's beloved ritual of a coffee break with something sweet — a practice considered part of Swedish national identity. While primarily associated with baked goods, candy and chocolate have a natural overlap with fika culture. Sharing chocolate bars or candy during a work break or social visit is common. See: Candy and fika traditions.
Filmgodis
Movie candy
The tradition of buying a bag of lösgodis from cinema lobby candy bins before watching a film. Filmgodis mirrors lördagsgodis in its ritual dimension — the anticipation and selection process is part of the cinema experience. Swedish cinemas have embraced this tradition with prominent candy walls in their lobbies.
G
Godis
Candy / Sweets
The general Swedish term for candy or sweets. Godis is a broad category term covering all confectionery including gummies, licorice, foam candy, and chocolate pieces (though chocolate bars are more often called "choklad"). The word comes from the Old Swedish "goð" (good), and is used in compound terms like lösgodis and lördagsgodis.
Gelehallon
Jelly raspberry
A classic Swedish candy — a jelly-filled raspberry-shaped piece, typically with a soft outer layer and a firmer jelly center. One of the most recognizable traditional Swedish lösgodis shapes, available in most candy sections.
J
Julskum
Christmas foam candy
Seasonal foam candy (skumgodis) produced in Christmas-themed shapes — trees, stars, Santas, and snow figures. Julskum is a specific Swedish Christmas candy tradition, typically appearing in shops from October onward. The combination of foam candy texture with festive shapes makes julskum a beloved seasonal product.
K
Kexchoklad
Wafer chocolate
Swedish chocolate bar combining crispy wafer layers with milk chocolate coating, produced by Cloetta since 1938. The name combines "kex" (biscuit/cracker) with "choklad" (chocolate). Famous as an outdoor and hiking snack associated with Swedish active lifestyle. See: Kexchoklad guide.
Knäck
Toffee / Crack candy
Traditional Swedish Christmas toffee made at home, typically from cream, sugar, butter, and almonds. Knäck sets to a hard, brittle texture (the name means "crack" or "snap") and is poured into small paper cups to set. Making knäck at home is a Swedish Christmas tradition for many families. See: Swedish Christmas candy guide.
L
Lakrits
Licorice
Swedish for licorice. Lakrits is flavored with licorice root extract (from Glycyrrhiza glabra) and comes in sweet and salty varieties. Sweden has one of the world's highest per-capita licorice consumption rates. Lakrits appears in dozens of shapes, textures, and intensity levels in Swedish lösgodis. See: Swedish licorice guide.
Lättsaltat
Lightly salted
Describes mildly salty licorice products at the lighter end of the salmiak/ammonium chloride spectrum. Lättsaltat varieties are recommended as the entry point for non-Scandinavians exploring salty licorice for the first time, as they provide the flavor character without the intensity of stronger varieties.
Lördagsgodis
Saturday candy
Sweden's national candy tradition of reserving sweets primarily for Saturdays. Originated in 1950s public health recommendations to reduce dental cavities by limiting sugar-tooth contact frequency. The tradition persisted and became a cultural institution long after its health rationale faded. See: Lördagsgodis full guide and Swedish candy culture.
Lösgodis
Loose candy / Pick-and-mix
The dominant Swedish candy retail format: candy sold loose by weight from open bins, allowing shoppers to create personalized mixed bags. The lösgodis wall (typically 60–200 varieties) is a feature of all major Swedish supermarkets. Lösgodis is central to the lördagsgodis ritual and to Swedish candy culture broadly. See: Lösgodis guide.
M
Marabou
Marabou (brand, named for the marabou stork)
Sweden's most iconic chocolate brand, founded 1916 in Sundbyberg. Marabou's milk chocolate bar (Mjölkchoklad) is Sweden's best-selling chocolate product. The brand's Aladdin assortment box is Sweden's classic Christmas gift. Now owned by Mondelez International, but produced in Sweden and maintained as a culturally Swedish brand. See: Marabou brand guide.
Mjölkchoklad
Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate in Swedish. Marabou Mjölkchoklad is Sweden's definitive milk chocolate — creamy, smooth, moderately sweet, and ubiquitous on Swedish candy shelves since 1916. The term refers both to Marabou's specific product and to the milk chocolate category generally.
Malaco
Malaco (brand)
Swedish candy manufacturer founded in 1953 in Malmö (name derived from "Malmö Lakrits Compani"). Malaco created the original Swedish Fish candy for North American export. Known for licorice and gummy products. Now owned by ZED Candy.
P
Påskgodis
Easter candy
Seasonal candy produced for the Easter period, typically in spring colors and egg-related shapes. Påskgodis is a significant candy-purchasing season in Sweden, with special editions of popular candies and Easter egg packaging containing pick-and-mix. See: Swedish Easter candy guide.
Pektin
Pectin
A plant-based gelling agent derived from fruit (typically apple or citrus), used as a vegan alternative to gelatin in candy production. Swedish brand Bubs pioneered the use of pectin in Swedish gummies and foam candy, enabling fully plant-based products that maintain the texture qualities Swedish candy buyers expect.
Polkagris
Polka pig (peppermint stick)
Sweden's heritage candy — a hand-pulled hard peppermint stick in red and white stripes, invented in Gränna, Sweden in 1859 by Amalia Eriksson. The curious name (literally "polka pig") has uncertain etymology. Gränna is still famous for polkagris production, with artisan shops producing the candy using traditional hand-pulling techniques. See: Polkagris guide.
Polly
Polly (brand, named for a parrot)
Cloetta brand producing foam-center chocolate pieces in assorted fruit flavors since 1921. The colorful parrot logo is iconic on Swedish candy shelves. Polly represents Sweden's tradition of combining foam candy texture with chocolate coating in assorted bag format. See: Polly brand guide.
S
Salmiak
Salmiac / Ammonium chloride
The common Scandinavian name for ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl), from the historical chemical name sal ammoniac. Salmiak is the key ingredient that gives salty licorice its distinctive savory, mineral taste. Used in candy concentrations from mild (lättsaltat) to intense (stark salmiak).
Salmiakki
Salty licorice
The Finnish/Scandinavian term for salty licorice — licorice candy containing ammonium chloride. One of the world's most polarizing candy flavors: an acquired taste for non-Scandinavians, a nostalgic comfort food for those who grew up with it. Salmiakki products range from mildly salty to intensely concentrated. See: Salty licorice guide and Salmiakki blog article.
Skalle
Skull
Skull-shaped candy, particularly associated with the Bubs Skalle — a gummy skull in sour and sweet varieties. The Bubs Skalle is one of the most recognizable shapes in Swedish lösgodis and has become a modern Swedish candy icon. The skull shape represents Swedish candy's playful, slightly edgy sensibility.
Skumgodis
Foam candy
Aerated candy made from whipped gelatin or pectin mixtures, with a light, airy texture unlike gummies or hard candy. The most famous skumgodis product is Ahlgrens Bilar. Skumgodis comes in dozens of shapes and flavors and is central to Swedish lösgodis culture. See: Swedish foam candy guide.
Sötsaker
Sweets / Confectionery
A broader Swedish term for sweets and confectionery. While "godis" is more commonly used colloquially, "sötsaker" (literally "sweet things") is a more formal or comprehensive term for the category. Used in labeling, regulations, and formal contexts referring to the confectionery industry.
Surt Godis
Sour candy
Sour candy in Swedish — candy coated or infused with acids (citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid) for a sour flavor profile. Surt godis is one of the most popular categories in Swedish lösgodis, particularly among younger candy buyers. Products include sour ribbons, sour worms, sour skulls, and sour licorice. See: Sour candy guide.
Skippers Pipes
Skipper's Pipes
Classic pipe-shaped soft licorice candy, a nostalgic Swedish candy associated with older generations and candy connoisseurs. Available in sweet and salty varieties. The pipe shape is one of Swedish candy's heritage forms, with a history going back decades. See: Skipper's Pipes guide.
Swedish Fish
Swedish Fish
Fish-shaped gummy candy originally created by Swedish manufacturer Malaco for North American export in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Became a major American candy product, now owned by Mondelez International. The American version is sweeter and different from the original Swedish product. See: Swedish Fish origin story.