The Swedish Candy Sensation: BonBon

Walking on a street full of pizza restaurants and burger joints, a pink door hinds a sweet wonderland inside. Opening the door, the smells of strawberry, chocolate, and licorice swirl around you as a wall of treats calls you closer to indulge in the flavors. Sour skulls, marshmallow mushrooms, and chocolate covered gummy bears, you feel like a kid in a candy store. This dreamland is BonBon, and it's taking over the New York City streets.

Founded in 2018, three friends set out to bring the classic treats of Sweden to the United States. With all products coming directly from Sweden, the founders had a passion for the candy of their home, and thought NYC would be the perfect place to introduce it. The first location opened on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and since, opened locations in Brooklyn as well as the Upper East Side. With the real life “Oompa Loompas” that work at BonBon, the standard of quality is top priority for everyone at the company which is why the delicious treats have become a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram. BonBon has made an impact and is here to stay. 

The Upper East Side location is set on Lexington Avenue between 82nd and 83rd street. A new addition to the neighborhood that brightens up the landscape. When you walk in, you grab a bag and a golden shovel and start to pick out all the best treats from the wall of sweets. The most popular “Sour Skulls” and “Bubs” are always in high demand, and for good reason. The texture is unlike anything known in the states and the flavors are perfectly balanced between sour and sweet. They have pre packaged goods as well with a large selection of vegan and gluten free options ensuring that everyone can experience the magic of BonBon. 

One of the customers visiting from Connecticut said “I took the train this morning because I was craving this candy that I had never even had before,” which goes to show just how big the impact of social media has been for this brand. The employee, which are hired as the store “oompa loompas” had also said that a popular sentiment on the weekends as a large amount of business is from people out of state or online orders which are ramping up and hard to ship consistently as the demand is increasing at a rate that no one expected. 

The branding speaks for itself and the childlike marvel that adults still long for has contributed to the success. There is no denying that this is just the beginning of this growing business as 2020 slowed them down after opening, but now in their prime, it will only keep growing. Attention to detail and company kindness will never go unnoticed. Treat yourself to some sweets, and give BobBon a try.