Plock Candy guide
Swedish gummies
Swedish gummy candy is chewy fruit gum candy from Sweden, often called vingummi, and it is usually firmer and less sticky than American gummy bears. It comes as classic fruit gums, sour sugar-coated pieces and foam-and-gummy combinations, and some makers, including Bubs for most of its range, make it without gelatin.
- Swedish name
- Vingummi (wine gum), though it contains no wine
- Texture
- Firm, dense and chewy
- Styles
- Fruit gums, sour gummies, foam-and-gummy pieces
- Gelatin
- Varies by maker; most of the Bubs range is gelatin-free
- Famous export
- Swedish Fish, developed by Malaco for North America
What makes Swedish gummy candy different?
Texture comes first. Swedish gummies tend to be firmer and denser than American gummy bears, with a long chew. Many pieces also combine textures: a gummy base with a soft foam top, or a chewy center under a coat of sour sugar. Some makers use starch or pectin instead of gelatin, which changes the bite.
What is Swedish gummy candy called?
Swedes often call fruit gums vingummi, wine gums, even though they contain no wine. In a pick-and-mix, gummies sit next to skumgodis, foam candy, and surt godis, sour candy.
Swedish Fish and other Swedish gummies
The best-known Swedish gummy in the US is Swedish Fish. It was developed by the Swedish candy maker Malaco for the North American market in the 1950s, and Mondelez now makes it for the US. A Swedish pick-and-mix goes far beyond fish, with skulls, ovals, cars and fruit shapes.
Are Swedish gummies healthier than other candy?
No. They are still sugar candy. A gelatin-free recipe or colors from plant extracts can matter for your diet, but they do not make gummies a health food. More about gelatin-free candy.
Where to try Swedish gummies in San Francisco
Gummies are one of the pick-and-mix categories at Plock Candy, 3101 Fillmore St, and Bubs is part of the range. Read the complete guide to Bubs candy.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Swedish gummy candy different?
Mostly the texture. Swedish gummies are usually firmer, denser and less sticky than American gummy bears, and many pieces combine gummy with foam or a sour sugar coating. Some are made with starch or pectin instead of gelatin.
What is Swedish gummy candy called?
Swedes often call fruit gums vingummi, which means wine gum, although there is no wine in them. Sour gummies fall under surt godis, sour candy, and foam pieces under skumgodis.
Are Swedish gummies healthier than other candy?
No. Swedish gummies are still made mainly of sugar. Some are gelatin-free or colored with plant extracts, which helps if you avoid those ingredients, but that does not make them healthy.