What Is BUBS Candy? Skulls, Ovals and Diamonds Explained
Last updated: October 14, 2026
BUBS is a Swedish candy brand that has been making candy in southern Sweden since 1992. It is best known for soft foam candy shaped like skulls, ovals and diamonds, in flavors such as banana toffee, bubblegum and cola. BUBS says its whole range is vegan, so there is no gelatin in it, and the candy has a softer, lighter chew than the gummies most Americans grew up with. At Steyda we pack seven BUBS candies into one mix. This guide covers what each of the seven tastes like, how sour it is, and where you can buy BUBS in the US.
Who makes BUBS?
BUBS started in 1992, when a family in Huskvarna, Sweden, mortgaged their house to buy their first candy machine. The name is made from the family's initials: Bernt, Ulrik, Birgitta and Stefan Lindström. BUBS makes its candy in Torsvik, just south of the city of Jönköping, not far from where it all started in 1992.
In Sweden, BUBS is sold both in bags and loose, as pick-and-mix candy that you scoop yourself. Swedes have a tradition called lördagsgodis, which means "Saturday candy", and the classic way to buy it is by weight from the candy wall in the grocery store.
Steyda is a Swedish candy seller, not the maker of BUBS. We choose seven BUBS candies and pack them together as one curated mix.
Why does BUBS feel different from regular gummies?
Most BUBS candy is foam. Foam candy is soft and airy. It is firmer than a marshmallow but much softer than a jelly gummy, your teeth sink straight through it, and it does not stick to them.
BUBS also makes jelly candy, which is firmer and chewier. Our mix has five foam candies and two jelly skulls, so you get to try both.
The softness has a lot to do with what is left out. Many gummies are made with gelatin. BUBS uses none. The ingredient lists for the five foam candies in our mix show corn starch and potato protein instead.
The seven BUBS candies in the Steyda mix
| Candy | Type | Tastes like | Sourness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banana Toffee Ovals | Foam | Sweet banana and buttery toffee | Not sour |
| Wild Berry Pomegranate Ovals | Foam | Wild strawberry with a fresh pomegranate note | Not sour |
| Fruity Pear Ovals | Foam | Juicy pear with a light sour sugar | Medium |
| Bubblegum Skull (Dizzy Skalle) | Foam | Classic bubblegum | Medium |
| Tutti Frutti Diamond | Foam | Mixed fruit under a sour sugar coating | Medium |
| Lemon Raspberry Skull | Jelly | Raspberry lemonade | Medium |
| Cool Cola Skull | Jelly | Cola under a sour powder | Medium |
Banana Toffee Ovals
Each oval has two halves. The yellow half tastes of round, sweet banana and the brown half of full, buttery toffee. There is no sourness at all. The foam is soft and melts in your mouth. This is a good first piece for anyone who does not like sour candy.
Wild Berry Pomegranate Ovals
The berry here is smultron, the Swedish word for wild strawberry. It is sweet and aromatic, and the pomegranate adds a fresh, slightly tart finish. We think it tastes like summer. It is a more grown-up berry flavor than most strawberry candy.
Fruity Pear Ovals
Fresh, juicy pear with a light tart twist. The ovals are dusted with a fine pear sugar that is a little sour on the tongue before the foam melts. They are the smallest pieces in the mix.
Bubblegum Skull (Dizzy Skalle)
A foam skull that tastes like classic sweet bubblegum with a tart undertone. We would call it sour, but not so sour that it hurts. It is soft and chewy and does not stick to your teeth.
Tutti Frutti Diamond
A dense foam diamond with a sweet, fruity tutti frutti flavor and a fresh sour sugar on the outside. About as sour as the bubblegum skull.
Lemon Raspberry Skull
This one is jelly, not foam. One half is sweet raspberry and the other is zesty lemon, and together they taste like raspberry lemonade. The sour sugar coating gives it a sharp start that turns sweeter as you chew.
Cool Cola Skull
Also jelly, and the most sour piece in the mix. It is coated in a sour powder that gives a real kick the moment it hits your tongue. After that comes a round, classic cola flavor. The jelly is light and chewy without being hard.
What does "skalle" mean?
Skalle is the Swedish word for skull. BUBS makes skulls in both foam and jelly. In our mix the Bubblegum Skull is foam, and the Lemon Raspberry and Cool Cola skulls are jelly.
Is BUBS vegan and gluten-free?
BUBS states that 100% of its range is vegan and that its candy is free from gelatin. BUBS also describes its candy as gluten-free. The ingredient lists for the seven candies in our mix show no gelatin, no wheat and no carmine.
We have not seen a halal or kosher certificate for BUBS, so we do not claim either. For the full ingredient breakdown, see Is BUBS Candy Vegan?
Where can you buy BUBS in the US?
Since 2025, BUBS has also been sold in US stores, in small bags with one flavor in each, or a mixed bag.
If you want to try several kinds at once, a mix is the easier way in. The Steyda BUBS Swedish Candy Mix has all seven candies above in one pouch, imported from Sweden, made according to European ingredients standards, in three sizes: 0.5 lb (227 g), 1.2 lb (544 g) and 2 lb (908 g).
- Shop the BUBS Swedish Candy Mix on steyda.com
- Also on Amazon: 0.5 lb, 1.2 lb, 2 lb
Questions people ask about BUBS
Is BUBS candy sour?
Some of it. In our mix, the Banana Toffee Ovals and Pomegranate Wild Strawberry Ovals are not sour at all, the rest are medium sour.
Does BUBS contain gelatin?
No. BUBS states that all its products are free from gelatin and other animal-derived ingredients.
What does BUBS stand for?
It is the initials of the founding family: Bernt, Ulrik, Birgitta and Stefan Lindström.
Is BUBS made in Sweden?
BUBS makes its candy in Torsvik, just south of Jönköping in Sweden. The single-flavor 5.5 oz bags sold in US grocery stores are labeled for the US, are produced in Mexico, so if you want the real deal when it comes to Swedish Candy you should check the bag you buy.