By Rachael Lindley
Photos by Jill Johnson
“The Swedes have a word — lagom — that has no direct English translation. It means not too much, not too little. Just the right amount,” says Lukas Nathanson.
It’s a philosophy that quietly governs everything in Sweden, from portion sizes to interior design to, yes, even candy. And now, that philosophy has a Fort Worth address.
Origin Story
The couple behind Swedish Candy Culture is Crimson and Lukas Nathanson. Crimson hails from Fort Worth, while Lukas grew up in Sweden and left at 16 to pursue a music career. The two met through music production in LA, where they lived together before a brief stint in Nashville, then Sweden, returned permanently to Fort Worth in 2023 — all while raising four children.
Their shared passion for music is worth mentioning: Sweden is the third-largest exporter of music in the world, behind only the US and the UK. Legendary Swedish producer and songwriter Max Martin is responsible for some of the most iconic hits of the last three decades, writing and producing for Britney Spears, NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, among others.
The candy story began far more casually. The Nathansons started bringing Swedish candy home as gifts and school treats for their daughters’ classes.
“I started putting Swedish candy in the kids’ little birthday treats to give out to their class, and that night I got a text from a mom going, ‘What is this?’” says Crimson.
The response was immediate and, by most accounts, addictive. Friends and family began jokingly referring to Crimson and Lukas as their “candy dealers,” and requests kept coming. On their most recent trip to Sweden, the Nathansons returned with two dedicated suitcases full of candy. The idea to open a brick-and-mortar store was cemented when a postpartum nurse — who’d tasted their candy in a goody basket at the birth of their youngest — told them they simply had to open a shop. The couple did a soft test run at a Swedish Advent gathering that Christmas, laying out a spread for guests, and the overwhelming response made the decision for them.
“When we decide to go for something, we just do it,” says Lukas. “It’s good, because that way you don’t have time to overthink it.”
The Swedish Candy Difference
Swedish candy is distinguished by cleaner ingredients, more sophisticated flavor profiles and an authenticity that American candy rarely achieves. Most of the candy is free from high fructose corn syrup, Red Dye 40 and other artificial coloring. Each piece tastes genuinely of what it’s meant to be — raspberry is actually raspberry, sour apple is actually sour apple. Textures and shapes also set it apart: there’s a “foam” candy category with a pillowy, cloud-like consistency that has no American equivalent, sitting somewhere between a marshmallow and a gummy without being either. Shapes range from detailed chocolate Santas at Christmas to gummies molded like Ferraris.
“It’s not overpowering,” explains Crimson. “I wasn’t a big American candy person, and that completely changed when we moved to Sweden. All of a sudden, I found that I really liked candy.”
The store will carry more than 200 varieties of bulk candy, or lösgodis (“loose candy” in Swedish). While not all are Swedish-manufactured — selections will come from Finland, Denmark and Scandinavia broadly — all are imported from Sweden and are woven into the fabric of Swedish candy culture. Country-of-origin flags will be displayed throughout the store.
Bringing Swedish Culture to Fort Worth
To understand Swedish Candy Culture, it helps to understand how Swedes actually relate to candy. Lördagsgodis, or “Saturday candy,” is a beloved national tradition in which sweets are reserved for one day a week — a disciplined yet celebratory ritual where intentionality is everything. Similarly, fredagsmys, or “Friday cozy,” is a weekly family custom centered around a good meal, chips, candy and a favorite television show.
“The kids know that on this day, Friday cozy happens,” explains Lukas. “It makes them feel safe. It’s something to look forward to.”
It’s precisely this mindset, the Nathansons believe, that makes Swedish candy culture feel elevated rather than indulgent or guilt-ridden — and it’s the experience they intend to bring to Fort Worth.
Located at 3613 W. Vickery Blvd., the space is designed as a flexible, experiential destination that goes well beyond a traditional candy shop. Plans include wine and candy pairings, cocktail and schnapps experiences, mahjong nights, children’s birthday parties, movie screenings, a DJ setup and branded merchandise. The Nathansons are intent on reclaiming candy as an adult pleasure — something beautiful, curated and worth savoring. They are also confirmed participants in this year’s Christmas in Cowtown, where they plan to lean into a full Swedish Christmas market aesthetic, complete with seasonal specialty treats.
In the meantime, Lukas has built a “Tinder for Candy” feature on the store’s website, where customers can develop a flavor profile and swipe left or right on candy options that then populate their cart — a playful but genuinely useful tool for navigating the unfamiliar.
What began as pop-ups around Fort Worth has already cultivated a loyal following, with customers placing weekly orders and tracking down the Nathansons at farmers markets and parking lots alike for their fix.
“We have a big vision,” says Lukas. “We want to grow this and turn it into a lot of things.”
Swedish Candy Culture opens in July at 3613 W. Vickery Blvd.