Quick facts
| Founded | 1984 in Sweden |
|---|---|
| Country | Sweden |
| Made by | Bubs Godis AB (Swedish family business) |
| Dietary status | Most variants are vegan, gelatine-free; check pack per variant |
About Bubs
Bubs Godis is a Swedish confectionery brand founded in 1984, specialising in marshmallow-foam sweets and sour candy. The brand has remained Swedish family-owned and built its international reputation through the soft, light-textured foam sweets that don't really have a direct UK equivalent. Bubs became a major TikTok and social-media-driven import sensation in the late 2010s and 2020s, with Swedish candy as a category having grown significantly in UK and US import markets. Most products use natural pectin or gelling agents rather than gelatine, making the range vegan-suitable.
The Bubs range we stock
Bubs candy variants covering the bestselling Swedish formats.
| Variant | Profile |
|---|---|
| Bubs Sour Skulls | Skull-shaped sour foam sweets, the brand's iconic visual format |
| Bubs Raspberry & Liquorice | Foam sweets in a raspberry-and-liquorice combination, classic Swedish profile |
| Bubs Cola | Cola-flavoured foam sweets, less sweet than US cola gummies |
| Bubs Salt Skulls | Salty-liquorice variant for shoppers seeking the Scandinavian salt-liquorice profile |
| Bubs Mix Bag | Assorted mixed flavours in a sharing bag format |
Ingredients and allergens
Bubs sweets typically contain sugar, glucose syrup, water, modified starch, gelling agent (pectin or agar), citric acid, natural and artificial flavourings, and colourings. Most variants are vegan-suitable, using plant-based gelling agents instead of gelatine. The salt-liquorice variants contain ammonium chloride (the salt-liquorice ingredient that gives Scandinavian liquorice its distinctive salty-bitter taste). The sour variants contain malic acid for sour intensity. Not formally halal certified but the recipes contain no obviously haram ingredients. Always check the back of each individual pack for the most accurate allergen and dietary information.
Who Bubs is for
Swedish candy enthusiasts: Bubs is one of the top three Swedish candy brands by international visibility. UK shoppers exploring the Scandinavian sweet category typically start with Bubs.
Soft foam texture fans: the foam texture is distinctively different from gummies, marshmallows or jellies. Shoppers who like marshmallow texture but find UK marshmallows too sweet often prefer Bubs.
Vegan sweet builders: most Bubs variants are vegan-suitable, useful for shoppers building a vegan-friendly pick-and-mix selection. Pair with our vegan sweets range for broader builds.
Salt-liquorice (salmiak) seekers: the Scandinavian salt-liquorice profile is genuinely unusual outside Scandinavia and has its own dedicated international following. The Bubs Salt Skulls are an accessible entry point.
Buy Bubs online in the UK
Build your basket from across the Bubs range and our wider sour sweets and vegan sweets selections to qualify for free UK delivery over £20. Bubs pairs especially well with our other European sweet imports for varied Scandinavian-inspired builds. Order before our daily cut-off for same-day dispatch.
Bubs Swedish candy: frequently asked questions
What is Swedish candy?
Swedish candy ("godis") is a category of Scandinavian confectionery characterised by distinctive textures (foam, gummy, soft chew), bold flavours (often including salt-liquorice or salmiak), and traditional pick-and-mix retail formats. Swedish supermarkets typically dedicate large sections to bulk pick-and-mix candy. The category has built strong international following through TikTok and YouTube exposure, particularly the foam-texture and sour candy varieties.
Are Bubs sweets vegan?
Most Bubs sweets are vegan-suitable, using plant-based pectin and starch as gelling agents instead of gelatine. The brand has built its international reputation partly on offering vegan-friendly sweets in formats normally reliant on gelatine. Always check the back of each individual pack for confirmation as some specialty variants may differ.
What is salt liquorice?
Salt liquorice (salmiak in Finnish, salmiakki in Swedish) is liquorice combined with ammonium chloride, which gives a distinctive salty-bitter taste alongside the standard liquorice profile. Common throughout Scandinavia and the Netherlands, salmiak is largely unknown elsewhere. The taste is polarising , Scandinavians tend to love it, non-Scandinavians often find it shocking on first taste. Many shoppers build a tolerance and end up enjoying it.
How is Bubs different from Haribo?
Bubs uses soft foam textures rather than the firmer gelatine-gummy texture of Haribo. Most Bubs variants are vegan (gelatine-free) while standard Haribo uses gelatine and is not vegan. Bubs flavour profiles tend less sweet and more complex (raspberry-liquorice, salt-liquorice) compared to Haribo's broadly sweeter approach. The brands target different positions in the gummy/foam sweet market.