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The basics:

• New Jersey-based confectioner Goodis is aiming to capitalize on the growing public obsession with Swedish candy that has been sweeping social media.
• The business was co-founded by a Bergen County entrepreneur with family connections in Sweden.
• Goodis operates as an e-commerce store, with a focus on fast shipping times.

After seeing the growing public obsession with Swedish candy on social media, a recently launched New Jersey-based venture is hoping for some sweet success. From its 100,000-square-foot warehouse in Carlstadt, Goodis imports colorful gummies, chocolates and licorice directly from Scandinavia and offers fast delivery of the in-demand sweets across the U.S.

The business was co-founded by Timothy Akguc, a Bergen County entrepreneur who spent time as a kid in Sweden with relatives.

“Italy has its pasta. Ethiopia has its coffee, France has its wine and Switzerland has its chocolate. And what Sweden has is their candy. And it’s just something that has always been a part of my life,” Akguc said.

“Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have a connection with Sweden being that I did have so much family there, including my grandparents. So, I knew the quality of Swedish candy,” he said. “But not everyone gets to have that experience or not everyone has that connection to Sweden as I do.”

Since the beginning of 2024, Swedish candy has been sweeping social media, with videos of users doing taste tests and showing off their hauls of bright, sugar-coated gummies in all shapes of hearts, skulls, ovals and red-striped twists.

The craze began when a New York marketer shared a video of her weekly visit to BonBon, a pick-and-mix Swedish sweet shop in Brooklyn. The post wound up going viral and demand for the candy skyrocketed, triggering a shortage.

After that, the handful of U.S.-based online sellers who offer the treats found themselves swamped with online orders. And stores like BonBon experienced long lines of customers eager to scoop up some of the prized sweets, Bloomberg reported last summer.

During the spring of 2024, Akguc said he was approached by two fellow candy lovers about the possibility of starting up “an e-commerce candy store where people can get their fix for Swedish candy.”

From there, he worked with his cousin, Nemrud Kurt, a journalist, author and copywriter with years of experience in e-commerce and digital marketing, and Isa Afram, a sales expert, to start Goodis. Both partners were born, raised and live in Sweden.

The idea for the business originated after seeing how trendy Scandinavian candy was becoming, according to Kurt.

“It was like a riddle that becomes obvious when you know the answer. It was sort of like: ‘Of course – let’s bring the best candy in the world, to the U.S.,'” he said.

Good godis

Known as “godis,” Swedish candy has a different taste, shape and texture than its American counterpart.

Similar to American candy, there are gummies shaped like worms, fish, bears and soda bottles. But Sweden takes it up a notch with designs like stars, hearts, skulls, rings, discs, diamonds, twists, berries and ropes.

Unlike U.S.-made sweets, each Swedish gummy typically contains several flavors and multiple colors. Its mouthfeel is also unique, with gummies ranging from springy and bouncy to foamy and fizzy.

Because of the European Union’s stricter regulations on the food industry, Swedish candy is made with fewer additives, making it seem like a better option for sweet snacking. Nearly all candy is also gluten-free and vegan.

Swedish candymakers focus on natural ingredients, so products do not contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or artificial sweeteners. Instead, candies use real sugar, plant-derived colorings and glucose instead of gelatin.

Akguc said, “The ingredients that are used in Europe are [subject to] much stricter guidelines than they are in the States. … All these things that are allowed in American food, they’re not really allowed in Europe. So, I know people like the chocolate because it has a different taste. And I know people like the candy because it has a different taste. It doesn’t feel like this chemically laboratory manmade type of candy.

“You can really taste the difference between something that’s quality and something that’s kind of being pushed for volume of sales. And I think that’s the crossroads that Americans are at. It is candy, but at the end of the day, you’re looking for something is better than what’s on the American market, and we offer that,” Akguc said.

“I think American people are longing for real products made with real ingredients, and that’s what we’re going to bring to the candy market in the United States,” he said.

Besides offering a seamless way for Americans to “sweeden” their day, Goodis wants to showcase a beloved Swedish tradition known as “lördagsgodis” (which translates into “Saturday candy” or “Saturday sweets”).

Back in the 1950s, Swedish doctors started recommending limiting sugar intake to once a week as a way to curb rising tooth decay. And what began as a medical recommendation turned into a decades-old custom in which parents take their children to stores to pick out a candy mix every Saturday.

Akguc said, “I got to experience it only in the summers, but it’s something that is throughout all seasons in Sweden … Every Saturday, the candy stores and the markets are packed with people picking candy. It’s nice – it’s like a little outing every week that children look forward to and friends look forward to.”

“It’s something that’s on the table when you have guests over. It’s something you put out on a movie night. It’s just a culture around Swedish candy that it’s brought out,” he said.

Outside of Sweden, lordagsgodis is “something most people definitely don’t know about,” Akguc said.

Italy has its pasta. Ethiopia has its coffee, France has its wine and Switzerland has its chocolate. And what Sweden has is their candy.
– Timothy Akguc, Goodis co-founder

“And that’s what we’re trying to bring to the American market is the culture behind it,” he said. “It’s not just eating candy. It’s supposed to be shared, it’s supposed to be fun, and it’s supposed to be a gathering event of friends and family to share this delicious candy with one another,” he said. “We want to emphasize the culture of having candy put out when you have guests, just like you would have nuts or a charcuterie board … It’s meant to be shared, and it’s meant to be fun. It’s colorful, it looks great on a plate, and above all it tastes amazing.”

“At the end of the day, it’s not just a Saturday thing – it’s meant to be enjoyed Monday through Sunday, every day of the week,” he said.

‘Virtual candy store’

Currently, Goodis is “strictly an e-commerce store,” but Akguc said the company may host a few pop-ups “here and there, depending on the season.”

Goodis doesn’t plan on establishing a brick-and-mortar shop, “but it is something we’d be open to if we found it to be favorable for us,” he added.

“We’re not against it. We love the idea of families, friends coming in and picking their own candy and creating this fun atmosphere, which is what we try to bring to our website,” he said.

“The design on our website is meant to make you feel like you are in a candy store – a virtual candy store. That’s why we have so many selections and pick and mixes where you can literally make a custom bag of candy just for you … It’s catered to the customer and for the customer to make them feel like they’re actually digging the scoop of candy and putting it in the sack,” he said.

Besides pick-and-mix bag, Goodis sells assorted bags starting at $11.49 per pound and classic brands, like Kexchoklad, Bilar and Marabou. It also offers gift boxes for holidays, like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and special occasions for $99 and up, as well as corporate and B2B packages.

Akguc said Goodis prides itself on offering faster shipping times than other companies.

“Where people are seeing two to 10 days to 14-day wait times, we’re able to deliver the product within three-to-five days. And that’s the beautiful thing about e-commerce, is that we are able to kind of move where we want and put our effort into delivering it more quickly,” he explained. “Whereas if we had a brick-and-mortar store, it might take time and effort from us, which would maybe create longer shipping times.”

Since the business went live in November, it has filled over 600 orders.

So far, Goodis’ best sellers are sour candies, raspberry shots, various flavors of Coca-Cola gummies and Bubs, a popular brand that makes gummies in many different shapes. Swedish chocolate has also been popular, according to Akguc.

Akguc still has his day job as co-owner of Benchmark Builders, a Paramus-headquartered full-service design and build construction firm specializing in high-end luxury homes, additions, renovations and property development.

For Kurt and Afram, Goodis is primarily a full-time venture. “Naturally, since me and Isa are born and raised in Sweden – and Timmy has traveled here a lot – it was an inspiration. Me and Isa are more or less fully focused on this, even though I’m an author and journalist,” Kurt said.

Akguc said his partners have invaluable experience, noting that Kurt comes from a family that has “had candy stores all over Sweden” and Afram “is a sales expert that has worked in sales for banks and insurance companies.”

“He’s our go-to guy for how to approach the market, go to market and capitalize on the market,” he said.

Working with partners who are in another country “does create a few obstacles – mainly the time difference between here and Europe,” Akguc said.

“And secondly, as a business owner myself, I like to be very hands-on. I like to be where my business is. So that does face challenges because when decisions need to be made or an extra hand is needed, they’re only able to help from a digital aspect, which they’ve done a tremendous job doing, whether it be the website, answering emails, creating ad campaigns,” he said, adding, “They communicate very well.”

Chew on this

Following its launch, Goodis has been ramping up its marketing efforts, too. In recent weeks, it has gained social media mentions from the New York Giants and Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Jon Jones, both of whom featured the brand via Instagram stories.

Akguc, a lifelong Giants fan, decided to reach out to the NFL team’s social media manager to see if they’d be willing to highlight a New Jersey-born brand.

“They have always been a part of my life, just like Swedish candy. And they were really kind enough to just respond and answer and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. They were super kind and we actually are looking forward to doing more work with them once the season’s over,” he said.

While Kurt and Afram were recently in the U.S., Akguc took them to catch a New York Knicks Game at Madison Square Garden, where they wound up meeting American professional mixed martial artist Jon Jones.

“And it so happened that when I was at the Knicks game, I was fortunate enough to be sat right next to Jon Jones when he had an interview in the broadcasting booth. I saw that as an opportunity to promote the business. So, I did what I could. I had a card on me, we took a selfie together and he was a really kind guy – super humble, super nice, super friendly. And so was his whole team, his agent, everyone, they were really sweet,” Akguc said.

Looking ahead, Goodis plans to develop several creative outreach strategies for the brand.

Since Goodis is headquartered near MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Akguc said his company is looking forward to when the venue hosts the World Cup final in 2026.

“Our goal is to become the go-to brand for Swedish candy in the USA, known not just for our products, but also the passion and care we bring to every customer experience,” he said.

“The World Cup brings different countries together and they bring people together, cheering on. It’s kind of the one time I feel like each country is collectively in sync and rooting for the same thing to happen,” he said. “That’s why they call soccer the beautiful sport.”

“I think it is a beautiful moment and a great opportunity for us to push before that influx of media and people and craziness come into the northern New Jersey area,” he said. “Our idea is that the World Cup brings people together and so does candy.”