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Ask any Swede to name one Swedish candy, and there is a strong chance the answer will be Bilar — the foam car-shaped candy produced under the Ahlgrens brand. Available in three colors (red, pink, and white) with three distinct flavor profiles, Bilar has been Sweden's best-selling candy product for decades. Its combination of soft, airy foam texture, mild fruitiness, and recognizable car shape has made it uniquely beloved across all age groups.
What Is Ahlgrens Bilar?
Ahlgrens Bilar (literally "Ahlgren's Cars") is a foam candy — skumgodis — made from sugar, glucose syrup, gelatin, modified starch, and natural and artificial fruit flavors. The foam is aerated during production, creating the distinctive light, almost marshmallow-like texture. Each car is approximately 4–5 cm long and weighs a few grams.
The three colors correspond to three flavors: red (raspberry/strawberry), pink (lingonberry or mixed berry), and white (vanilla or apple — a subject of debate among Swedes). The white Bilar is particularly iconic, as many Swedes have strong preferences about whether they prefer it to the others. "White Bilar vs. red Bilar" is a genuine national conversation topic.
History of Ahlgrens Bilar
The Bilar candy was developed around 1953 by the Ahlgren confectionery company. The car shape was inspired by the post-war Swedish love affair with automobiles — the 1950s saw rapid growth in Swedish car ownership, and the automotive shape resonated with the optimistic modernism of the era. The candy's soft texture was based on existing Scandinavian foam candy traditions, adapted into the distinctive car mold.
Ahlgrens merged with and was eventually acquired by Cloetta, Sweden's largest confectionery group. Under Cloetta ownership, Bilar has maintained its recipe, production methods, and iconic status while expanding distribution. Cloetta reports that Bilar remains one of the most-purchased single candy products in Scandinavia. Learn about foam candy more broadly: Swedish foam candy guide.
Bilar Variations and Related Products
- Original Bilar: Mixed bag of red, pink, and white foam cars.
- Sour Bilar: Bilar coated with citric acid for a sour-sweet experience.
- Bilar in lösgodis: Available by weight in pick-and-mix bins throughout Sweden — one of the most popular lösgodis selections.
- Seasonal Bilar: Special editions for Christmas, Easter, and limited flavor runs.
Cultural Status: Why Bilar Matters
Bilar holds a cultural position in Sweden analogous to Gummi Bears in Germany or Jelly Babies in the UK — a confectionery so embedded in national food memory that it is almost impossible to separate from national identity. Swedish children grow up eating Bilar as part of lördagsgodis Saturday candy rituals, filling bags at lösgodis walls, and receiving Bilar in party bags.
The white Bilar debate — whether they taste of vanilla, apple, or something else entirely — has been a running conversation in Sweden for decades. Cloetta has been deliberately vague about the exact flavoring, allowing the myth to persist. This ambient cultural presence is part of what makes Bilar more than just a candy product. For more on Swedish foam candy culture, see our Ahlgrens Bilar deep dive.
FAQ: Ahlgrens Bilar
Traditional Ahlgrens Bilar contain gelatin (derived from pork), making them not vegan. However, Cloetta has introduced some vegan-friendly foam candy products. For fully vegan foam cars, Bubs offers pectin-based alternatives.
The white Bilar flavor is officially "vanilla" according to some sources, but is variously described by Swedes as apple, pear, or a generic "white candy" flavor. Cloetta has maintained a level of mystery around the exact flavoring, making the white Bilar flavor one of Swedish candy's most enduring debates.
Ahlgrens Bilar are available at IKEA food stores worldwide, Scandinavian specialty food retailers, and through online importers. They are one of the most commonly available Swedish candy products internationally.
