Our History

How it all began

Candy People started as an underdog in the confectionery industry, but over the years we have created a range of best-selling favourites.
Our product portfolio includes a broad and varied selection of popular Swedish confectionery brands such as S-märke, RIGI, GB ice cream-inspired sweets and the Original Series.
In our product portfolio, you can find a broad and varied assortment of Swedish candy favorites such as S-märke, RIGI, GB ice cream candies, and Original Series.

 

Candy People was founded in Malmö in 1982, driven by curiosity and a passion for creating confectionery that consumers truly want. We have grown from a small local business into a well-established company with a strong presence in both national and international markets. Candy People AB is a family-owned business that has been passed down through generations, with a strong family spirit at the heart of everything we do.

1982
Joanis Masudi Youssef opened a confectionery shop in Malmö’s Möllevången district, marking the beginning of Candy People. At the time, it was only the second pick-and-mix confectionery shop in the whole of Skåne. After operating as a small local shop, the company expanded into wholesale and continued to grow steadily over the years.
1990
Twelve years after the company was founded in Malmö, Candy People opened its flagship store on Bankgatan in Lund. The pick-and-mix confectionery shop quickly became a great success. Today, 29 years later, it remains a firm favourite among the people of Lund.
1997
Candy People moved into premises on Agneslundsvägen in Malmö. From a small and modest facility, the wholesale business began to grow. Joanis’ son Jacob and his friends started helping with confectionery orders. Many hectic days followed, with delivery trucks bringing in sweets and bringing traffic to a standstill on one of Malmö’s busiest streets.
2004
Joanis Masudi Youssef’s son, Jacob Youssef, takes over as CEO and begins expanding the company. During this period, Candy People enters the global market and increases its focus on exports, with the ambition of supplying people around the world with high-quality Swedish confectionery.
2007 – 2011
Candy People’s export expansion accelerates, leading to the opening of offices in Shanghai, Perth, Dubai and Dallas. This strengthens our export operations and gives us a deeper understanding of local cultures, allowing us to adapt our product range to each market.Candy People is now positioned as one of the leading distributors of Swedish confectionery, with our products available across five continents.
2012
Candy People continued to grow rapidly. In 2012, we moved into our current premises on Lundavägen in Malmö, where we continue to operate today.The entire property is powered by rooftop solar panels, and any surplus energy is fed directly into Malmö’s electricity grid.
2014 – 2017
Candy People receives a number of prestigious awards. We are named Entrepreneur of the Year in Malmö in 2014 and Entrepreneur of the Year in Skåne in 2015.We open our Norwegian office in Trondheim, and in 2016 S-märke is named Product of the Year by Pressbyrån. In 2017, Dagens Industri presents us with the Export Gazelle of the Year award.
2019
Candy People launches its first product in the refreshment category: ZINQ chewing gum. It becomes an immediate success, with more than one million bags sold within the first six months.
2021
Candy People acquires confectionery company Jämtgott AB, including its factory in Östersund. Jämtgott began production in 1956 and has a long-standing tradition in confectionery manufacturing.In addition to S-märke, the acquisition also includes the Peacemärke and Dragster brands.
Today
Candy People has established itself as one of the leading companies in Sweden’s confectionery industry. Our high-quality products have gained popularity around the world, and we are proud to work with some of the largest retailers in the global market.

Today, we export our products to more than 30 countries, where demand for Scandinavian confectionery continues to grow. Our journey is driven by innovation, passion and a constant ambition to spread genuine confectionery joy around the world!