I Went To The Viral Swedish Candy Store That's All Over Social Media To Find Out If It's Worth The High Price Tag And Long Lines
Even if you're not big on FoodTok, or more specifically, CandyTok, I'm sure at this point you've heard of BonBon: the Swedish candy store that's gone mega-viral over the last few months. The aesthetically pleasing pink bags and candy-munching reviews have undoubtedly taken over my For You page as of late. When I spotted the classic pink bag at my friend's place IRL and discovered she's a loyal BonBon customer, I decided it was finally time to jump on the trend.
BonBon came on the scene in 2018 after opening its first location in the Lower East Side of New York City. Since then, they've opened three more NYC brick-and-mortar locations in the Upper East Side, Williamsburg, and their newest at their warehouse in Red Hook. Not to mention their booming e-commerce platform and delivery through third-party apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash.
So, what the heck is Swedish candy? How is it different? And why are we all obsessed with it? It turns out these sweet treats are a little different than your standard gummy worm. Leo Schaltz, one of BonBon's co-founders, told Today that "Swedish candy is a quality product, gluten-free, vegan, better-tasting," and described the candy as "upscale" but "affordable." The candy tends to be free from artificial colors and flavors, subs gelatin for cornstarch to get that signature "foamy" texture and opts for sugar over corn syrup.
Schaltz points out that the TikTok algorithm has definitely worked in BonBon's favor. They've seen online sales go from around 50 to 1,000 a day, and it's not unusual for the lines to wrap around the block at their brick-and-mortar locations. It's not surprising, considering BonBon's hashtag has over three billion views. From creators like @hallielooyaa, who ceremoniously dump their candy bags onto a plate, to celebs like Shay Mitchell, who give a quick review in their cars — everyone seems wildly fascinated with Swedish candy, myself included.
With all that Swedish candy info locked in my brain, off I went to try it for myself and find out if the lines and price were truly worth it. I chose to go to BonBon's Lower East Side location because 1) I thought it'd be cool to see where it all started, and 2) honestly, it's the closest one to me, and I'm a little lazy. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but in true New York fashion, the shop was VERY tiny and tucked away. I genuinely almost missed it.
Tiny or not, the facade was adorable.
For my first visit (yes, there was more than one, but we'll get into that later), I went around 11 a.m. on a rainy Thursday morning, and there was literally only one person in there. I was stunned. My feed had me convinced I'd be greeted with massive lines and would need to fight my way to the internet's favorite sour Bubs, so the emptiness was a pleasant surprise.
Now, let's chat about the store's layout. First of all, I loved the look of it right off the bat. The whole concept of BonBon is inspired by Swedish children's tradition of after-school candy, but the store itself felt a little more catered to adults, with a cleaner yet playful aesthetic.
When you first walk in, there's a small circular table with hand sanitizer, scoops, and the signature pink paper bag. Maybe it's supposed to be self-explanatory, but as a first-timer, I wasn't too sure what the protocol was. A quick set of instructions would probably go a long way here since, on my second visit, I saw others hesitating over this little section.
Lo and behold, I figured it out: you sanitize your hands, grab a scoop and a bag, and start scooping up whatever candy your heart desires. In hindsight, this seems obvious, but I didn't want to mess up, okay? My boyfriend later informed me that "every candy store in Europe" uses this grab-a-bag system. That's when it occurred to me that I've never actually been in a self-serve candy store before — they're just not as much of a thing in the US (100% speaking for myself and where I live; maybe your town is full of candy stores).
After you get your bag, you'll notice the store is split into three sections. There's the gummy and marshmallow section (the largest one):
The licorice section (with some fun hats on display that I had to use a lot of self-control not to buy):
And, lastly, the chocolate section, which was a bit more tucked away:
I regret to inform you all that I despise licorice and did not scoop from that section. Most of my time was spent around the sour and sweet gummies; more specifically, I was after the Bubs — those foamy ovals and skulls I kept seeing everyone bite into.
In case you're thinking, "What the heck are Bubs?" it's actually a Swedish candy company that's been around since the early '90s. All of their candy is vegan and has that "foamy" texture everyone raves about without using gelatin. From what I've seen, they come in a variety of shapes: ovals, diamonds, skulls, and octopuses.
I was admittedly having a little too much fun at this point, and before I could even make it over to the chocolate section, I realized my bag was already half full. It's hard to resist the urge not to get every single piece of colorful candy. As I was nearing the end of the gummy section, a group of four walked in, followed by another couple. Even though the store was still less crowded than I expected, it was easy to feel a little claustrophobic in the tight space with a few more people.
To step away from the crowds, I headed to the empty, less "viral" chocolate section. As I mentioned, I was a little scared about the weight of my bag and only grabbed three types of chocolate, which I regret a bit. And, unlike the gummies, I hadn't really studied up on the chocolates, so my selection was a bit more random.
Finally, it was time to pay. BonBon, like most self-serve candy stores, uses a pay-by-weight system. Once you walk up to the counter, an employee (or "candy sommelier," as BonBon refers to them) will weigh your bag to determine the damage. I've seen people spend upwards of $40 on a bag of candy, so I silently panicked as I brought my bag to the counter to be weighed. In the end, I spent about $25. Which, while expensive for candy, was not as bad as I thought it'd be.
I've seen comments from people in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and other European countries mentioning that we're wildly overpaying for Swedish candy in the US. And, yes, we are — my bag probably would've been less than half the price were I actually in Sweden. But it's worth noting that this candy is all imported, so that's likely where the extra cost comes in. New York City is also known for getting you to spend $40 every time you step foot outside.
Regardless, I was excited to dive into my little bag. So I did the quintessential plate pour and dug right in. Here's everything I got (chocolate not pictured here because I put it in a separate bag so it wouldn't melt):
1. Oval Bubs
People aren't lying when they say the Bubs texture is...fascinating. They're squishy and foamy, somewhat between a gummy and a marshmallow. Even though I loved the satisfying bite they had, I don't think I picked up the best flavors, so I'd definitely venture outside of these next time. Here's what I got:
Watermelon Oval Bubs: The watermelon flavor was super subtle, which, in a way, I kind of liked because I'm not the biggest fan of artificial watermelon. But if you're expecting a watermelon Jolly Rancher, you might be a little letdown. 7.5/10
Blueberry and Raspberry Oval Bubs: I had to dig through my pictures to find out what the heck the flavor of these was because I could not figure it out for the life of me when I bit into them. I don't know how to describe it other than a little strange and more "artificial" tasting than some of the others. 6.5/10
2. Sweet Hearts
I'm not exaggerating when I say this is possibly the best piece of candy I've ever had — the combination of flavors and textures was absolutely top-tier. The bottom layer is a vanilla marshmallow, and the top is a strawberry jelly that tastes so natural I almost forgot I was eating candy (okay, not really, but you get the point). My cute pink BonBon bag will be half full of these next time. 10/10
3. Fruit Pacifiers
These were great and had more of that Haribo gummy taste and texture we all know and love, but a bit more natural (natural flavors are obviously a pattern here!). Did I note what those flavors were before eating them? Nope – my bad! But it's safe to assume the yellow-green combo was some sort of lemon or other citrus flavor and was definitely my favorite. 8/10
4. Swedish Fish
Of course, I had to pick up some OG Swedish Fish, and, yes, they are different from the ones we have in the US! These have more of a jelly texture and let you take a clean bite out of them without the pull you normally need to do with the Swedish Fish we have in the States. The flavors (orange, berry, pear, and lemon) were also exponentially better than the vague cherry-ish ones we have. Shoutout to the lemon flavor for once again being my favorite. 8.5/10
5. Fruit Snakes
I'm sorry for the jumpscare — these weren't my favorite to photograph. Despite their awkwardly long length, I still enjoyed them. Like the Swedish Fish, getting a satisfying bite without the pull was easy. After two bites, though, these got old, and I had zero desire to finish an entire one. I believe the red is a "tropical" flavor that I wasn't the biggest fan of, but thankfully, lemon always has my back. 7.5/10
6. Berry Bites
Because of their small size, these were so cute and fun to snack on. They also had more of that jelly texture, which I'm now realizing is probably my favorite to bite into. I did like the raspberry flavor but didn't love it as much as the strawberry heart; it didn't taste as natural to me for some reason. 7.5/10
7. Banana Marshmallow
I'll preface this by saying I normally HATE banana-flavored candy — finding a banana Laffy Taffy in my trick-or-treat bag as a kid was the worst thing that could happen to me. But I ended up genuinely enjoying these! The artificial banana flavor was a lot more subtle than I expected, and unsurprisingly, the marshmallow texture was incredible. I don't know if these would be my first choice, but if you're a banana candy lover, definitely grab 'em. 7/10
8. Strawberry Marshmallow
Since I loved the strawberry heart, I was expecting to be a big fan of these. Unfortunately, the strawberry flavor just wasn't as good in marshmallow form. This particular marshmallow also had a slightly harder texture than the banana and didn't give me that satisfying bite. Sadly, I'd probably skip these next time. 5/10
1. Sour Skull Bubs
These had that classic Bubs foamy texture, but the sour ones had an even more satisfying bite, in my opinion. They were all perfectly sour without hurting your teeth or making your mouth pucker.
Fizzy Sour Skull: This one was bubblegum-flavored and my least favorite of the three, but that's not surprising, considering that bubblegum is one of my most-hated candy flavors, next to licorice and banana. But, hey, maybe that textbook bubblegum flavor is totally your thing! 6/10
Cola Sour Skull: Oh my, I loved this one so much; 100% my favorite of the three. The cola flavor was so nostalgic, and the texture here was a little less marshmallowy and a bit more jelly-like, which we've already determined is ideal for me. 9/10
Cool Passion Pineapple Skull: When I tell you these tasted like actual fruit, I'm not kidding. For some reason, they were more sour than the others, and I'm not sure if that's due to the acidic fruit flavor or because I just happened to grab one with more sour crystals. Either way, it was incredible and the perfect summer flavor. 8.5/10
2. Foamy Pear Oval Bubs
Like the skulls, the sour oval Bubs texture was superior to the normal ovals. My friend actually mentioned that the sour ovals were her favorite, and texture-wise, I can totally see why. But I couldn't get on board with this particular flavor — it didn't necessarily taste like pear and was more floral-y/soapy than I would've liked. 6/10
3. Sour Soda Pops
I'll start by saying the flavor of these was incredible — a bit citrusy, a bit blue raspberry, and a little more sour than the others. But the texture was SO. HARD. Biting into them was a chore, and chewing them was even worse. Maybe you're meant to let them sit in your mouth, but all I know is that my jaw was exhausted after one bite. 7/10
4. Sour Swedish Fish
To my surprise, I didn't like the sour version of the Swedish Fish as much as the regular. Maybe it's because of the sour crystals, but they tasted more artificial. Even the pear flavor I can't get on board with was more bearable with the non-sour ones than the sours. I'm a broken record at this point, but obviously, the lemon (yellow) was my go-to. 7.5/10
5. Fizzy Pops
These get a big ol' 'nope' from me. They had the texture of the sour oval Bubs with maybe a bit more "stretch" to them. But the flavor? A total miss for me (but funnily enough, a win for my boyfriend). After looking it up, I found out they were bubblegum but didn't have quite the same bubblegum flavor as the skull Bubs. They were more floral and chemically than I expected, which was such a letdown because they're so, so cute! 5/10
1. Dumle
Claudia Santos
I like to think of Dumle as an upgraded Snickers. It's definitely on the sweeter side, considering the caramel-to-chocolate ratio is basically 9:1. Still, every part of it tastes way higher in quality than a standard chocolate bar you might get in the US. Even though it stuck to my teeth, I'd 100% get it again. 8/10
2. Rum Punch
Claudia Santos
I'm never completely opposed to liquor-filled chocolates, but these were...very strange. They definitely didn't taste like rum and had more of a licorice or Sambuca taste to them. It was so overpowering I couldn't even taste the chocolate. Maybe it's an acquired taste, but I had one bite and immediately said, "Oh no." 3/10
3. Orange Slices
Chocolate and orange is one of my favorite flavor combos, and let me tell ya, I LOVED these. They were a nice break from all the filled chocolates and had the perfect balance of citrus to the milk chocolate. Biting into these actually reminded me a lot of the filling in chocolate-orange Milanos (another personal favorite of mine). 9/10
But my BonBon adventure doesn't stop there. To get the full experience, I felt like I needed to go during peak hours during the weekend to get a feel for what the rush was like. Also, I really wanted more candy and was influenced by a group of people on the train who were excitedly chatting about also going to BonBon. So off I went, once again, to their Lower East Side location to meet a friend on a Sunday afternoon. Right away, I could spot the crowds. There were folks sitting all around the benches outside the store, and the small shop was packed to the brim.
There wasn't really a line, just an employee ushering people in and out. My friend and I were able to go in right away, but before we could, I noticed the saddest sign on the door that read, "We are sold out of Bubs and Sculls! (We have lots of other good candy!)" I was devastated but still made my way in for the "other good candy."
Both times I went to BonBon, I probably didn't spend more than 10 minutes in the actual store, so any line you're in will move quickly. But I realized the issue with going on a crowded day is that they sell out of their popular candy FAST, so if you want the Bubs, try to go on a weekday morning or early afternoon.
The crowded store was definitely a different experience. It's only natural that everyone (including me) wants to linger in front of the bins to make the best sugar-infused decision about what's going in their bags. But it's really hard when you're packed in like sardines. I will say, though, no one ever seemed in a rush or annoyed when someone was in their way, so maneuvering around wasn't that bad. After all, who's going to be mad in a candy store?!
A few minutes and $11 later, I emerged with my second bag of the week. Almost all the candy I got the first time around was sold out, so at least this gave me the opportunity to try something new and spend my Sunday afternoon eating candy by the river.
I won't put you through another taste test, but I'll point out two candies that were a 10/10 in my eyes: the sour Rambos and the Peaches. The Rambos are these logs with a kind of cream filling, and the Peaches taste like the best peach ring you've ever had. Seriously, I can't believe I missed these the first time around.
Claudia Santos
All in all, I would absolutely go to BonBon again, but more as a way to treat myself — as much as I want to, I can't really afford to spend $30 on candy every day. If you've ever been to BonBon or are just a big fan of Swedish candy, I'd love to hear about your experience! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a sugar coma to recover from and a dentist to visit.
