Work & Business
The One-Stop Scandinavian Shop
Looking for Abba Fishballs in Shrimp Sauce, Swedish-style Fontina or Djungelvrål Lollipops?
Swedish Sweets and More has you covered. Two Swedish sisters, Ann-Sofie Roy and Annika Wilson, opened this San Diego-based online shop in 2012, and since then have been providing Swedish goods for local events, organizations and their customers.
Swedish Sweets and More isn’t the sisters’ first business selling Swedish products in the United States. When they were in their mid-20s, Ann-Sofie and Annika launched a bakery in Virginia Beach shortly after moving to the United States from Västerplana, Kinnekulle, a small Swedish village in the province of Västra Götaland, where they were born in raised.
“My sister and I come from a very entrepreneurial-minded family,” Roy said. “Unfortunately we didn’t stay in Virginia Beach and moved apart, causing us to end our baking business. In 2010, we reunited in San Diego and were immediately planning our next business idea.”
The company’s goal is “to be a one-stop shop for Scandinavian specialty food products, chocolates and candy and offer premium, quality goods at a fair price with personal customer service” according to its website.
Indeed, the site has everything you can think of from perishable items like herring and cheeses to salty licorice, candies, Swedish toiletries and kitchen décor. The salty licorice and sour candies are among the biggest sellers.
If the online store doesn’t carry what a customer is looking for, simply ask and they’ll be sure to stock it. Since opening, Swedish Sweets and More has more than doubled its selection of products.
“We’re happy to listen to our customers and want to make sure we’re providing what they want,” Roy said.
The sisters are even working on producing their own products to sell. One of a few in the works is a “snaps spice mix” that can be added to vodka.
Because Swedish Sweets and More strives to provide the most authentic, original and quality products, the sisters do their best to work with local stores in Sweden. One of the companies they import from is Ekelund, a 16th-generation textile company established in 1692.
“We like to support original businesses and supply original products,” Roy said. “We are constantly in contact with companies in Sweden, trying to help them expand and sell their products in the U.S.”
The sisters also work to support the local Scandinavian community. They sponsor and participate as a vendor each year for a number of events hosted by local chapters of SWEA, SACC, the Swedish Consulate and more, and are both members of the San Diego chapter of SWEA.
“We work with other Swedes who make and sell Swedish products in the area,” Roy said. “We try to support other local Swedish entrepreneurs and really enjoy sharing our culture.”
