BUBS Swedish Candy in the US: Skulls, Ovals and Sour Favorites

A family candy maker from Jönköping

BUBS Godis started in 1992 in Jönköping, Sweden, founded by the Lindström family. The name comes from the founders' initials: Bernt, Ulrik, Birgitta and Stefan. The family mortgaged their home to start the business, and BUBS grew from a small local maker into one of Sweden's best known candy brands, built on pick & mix. The signature shapes are the skull, called a skalle in Swedish, and the oval, in sweet, sour and foam versions with a soft, pillowy texture that is hard to find in American gummies. The Lindström family ran the company for three decades. In 2023, BUBS became part of Orkla, the Nordic food group, and the candy is still produced in Jönköping.

Why buy BUBS from Lilla

In 2025, BUBS arrived in American chain stores through a partnership with Mount Franklin Foods, which manufactures BUBS for US retail. That is a different channel, and it is not what we sell. Lilla imports the Swedish originals from Sweden: the same candy Swedes scoop from pick & mix walls at home, including flavors and shapes beyond the US retail line. We keep BUBS in stock at our Massachusetts shop and ship orders within 24 hours, with free shipping on orders over $50. If you visit the store, you can fill a bag from our pick & mix wall by weight and mix BUBS with the rest of our Swedish candy, which is how it is done in Sweden on lördagsgodis, the Saturday candy run.

The range at Lilla

• Skulls: sour skulls, Dizzy Skulls, raspberry and licorice skulls, and mini skulls, in bags and by weight
• Ovals: sweet banana and toffee ovals, wild strawberry and pomegranate ovals, and sour fruit ovals
• Pick & mix: BUBS favorites sold by weight from the candy wall, in half pound and one pound mixes
• Gift boxes and mixes that include BUBS alongside other Swedish brands

Browse the BUBS collection, or build your own bag in our Pick & Mix collection.

A straight answer on ingredients

BUBS makes its candy without gelatin, using potato protein and corn starch to get the foam texture, and most of the BUBS range is vegan. Two honest notes. First, most is not all, and recipes can change, so check the individual product page: we publish the full ingredient list for every candy we sell and only mark dietary traits we have verified from that list. Second, coloring varies by product. Some BUBS are colored with fruit, vegetable and plant concentrates, and some, including Dizzy Skulls, use artificial colors such as Blue 1. The ingredients are on every product page, so you can decide for yourself.

Questions

Where do orders ship from?

From our shop on the lower level of Thornes Marketplace in Northampton, Massachusetts. We aim to ship every order within 24 hours. Orders travel by UPS and USPS, and most US addresses see delivery in two to five business days. Shipping is free on orders over $50.

Are BUBS candies vegan and gelatin free?

BUBS produces its range without gelatin, and most BUBS candies are vegan. Because individual recipes differ, check the product page for the candy you want: each one lists its ingredients and the dietary traits we have verified, including vegan and gluten free where they apply.

What are skulls, and what flavor should I try first?

Skalle is Swedish for skull, and the skull is the shape that made BUBS famous. Start with the raspberry and licorice skull if you want the classic Swedish combination of fruit and salty licorice, the sour skulls if you like a sharp coating, or the banana and toffee ovals if you want something sweet and mellow. Salmiak, the salty note in Scandinavian licorice, comes from ammonium chloride, and our Swedish Licorice collection is the place to explore it.

Can I visit the store?

Yes. Visit Lilla Swedish Candy at Thornes Marketplace, Lower Level 1, 150 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060. Store hours are Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 6 PM, Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM, and Sunday 12 PM to 5 PM. The pick & mix wall is in the shop, so you can fill a bag by weight in person.

Start with the icons

New to BUBS? Start with the skulls in the BUBS collection, or add BUBS to a pick & mix bag and taste your way across the wall.