Swedish candy brand BonBon expands into Target stores
New York-based Swedish candy brand BonBon is entering mass retail with a launch at Target stores nationwide. The company aims to maintain its brand identity rooted in Swedish candy culture as it scales.
BonBon, a Swedish candy brand founded in New York City, is expanding its reach into nationwide retail by launching its products in Target stores. This move into big-box retail is often a challenge for niche brands, but BonBon's founders believe its strong design focus and connection to Swedish candy culture will prevent dilution.
The company was established in 2017 by three Swedish expatriates who missed the quality and flavors of candy from their home country. BonBon opened its first boutique in New York's Lower East Side in 2018, later expanding to other locations and online. The Target partnership represents a significant step into mass retail, with an experiential activation planned at FAO Schwarz in Manhattan later this fall.
The brand's aesthetic emphasizes Scandinavian design principles. Creative director Simon Dahlgren Strååt, who also works as a fine artist in Stockholm, is responsible for BonBon's visual identity. He describes the brand's approach as driven by joy, curiosity, and instinctive effort, drawing inspiration from Swedish traditions like 'Lördagsgodis' (Saturday candy).
BonBon emphasizes that its candy is manufactured in Sweden using Swedish ingredients and processes, differentiating it from candies produced elsewhere. The brand has cultivated a dedicated following through its New York stores and aims to preserve its authenticity as it enters over 1,900 Target locations. The founders believe that successful retail relies on offering customers a compelling reason to visit.