Cloetta

What Cloetta does

Cloetta AB (publ) is Northern Europe's leading branded confectionery company, founded in 1862 and headquartered in Sundbyberg, Sweden, with Class B shares listed on Nasdaq Stockholm under ticker CLA-B.ST. The company manufactures and sells chocolate, sugar confectionery, chewing gum, and pick-and-mix loose sweets through a portfolio of ten Superbrands (Kexchoklad, Ahlgrens bilar, Malaco, Red Band, CandyKing, Läkerol, Tupla, Jenkki, Mynthon, and Juleskum) plus numerous sub-brands and acquired brands (The Jelly Bean Factory, Sportlife, Polly, Venco, Chewits, Skippers). Cloetta operates six vertically integrated production facilities across Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, and Slovakia, alongside dedicated commercial offices in eight countries and a distribution network spanning more than 60 countries.

The company's business model is a traditional branded packaged consumer goods model with two reporting segments: Packaged Branded Goods (one-time sale of packaged products to grocery retail, convenience, and service/travel trade channels) and Pick & Mix / Loose Sweets (the CandyKing concept with over 500 candy varieties sold through approximately 4,000 retail points and dedicated stores). Cloetta's go-to-market combines enterprise field sales to major grocery and convenience chains across Nordic countries, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, and North America, with a product-led growth motion leveraging heritage brands and the viral "Swedish Candy" social media trend on TikTok and Instagram to drive international expansion, particularly via CandyKing. Strategic priorities include net revenue management, supply chain optimization, sustainability initiatives (certified cocoa and palm oil, PlantPack packaging), and entry into new geographies via owned retail flagships and partnerships such as the 2025 global agreement with IKEA.

In FY 2025, Cloetta generated net sales of SEK 8.5 billion with a 12.1% operating margin (up from 10.6% in 2024), operating cash flow exceeding SEK 1 billion for the first time, and net debt/EBITDA at 0.6x by Q1 2026. The company employs approximately 3,370 people globally, has set a 12% mid-term operating margin target for 2027 and a 14% long-term EBIT margin target, and announced a 27% dividend increase to SEK 1.40 per share for 2025.

Name

Cloetta

Legal name

Cloetta AB (publ)

Website

https://cloetta.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1862

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cloetta is Northern Europe's leading branded confectionery company, manufacturing and selling chocolate, sugar confectionery, chewing gum, and pick-and-mix sweets through iconic Nordic and Dutch heritage brands like Kexchoklad, Ahlgrens bilar, Malaco, and CandyKing across 60+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Confectionery Manufacturing

NAICS

Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate (311352), Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing (31134), Confectionery and Nut Retailers (445292)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Candy & Specialty Sweets Stores (THAFAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pastry, Cakes & Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAFAB), Chocolate & Confectionery Patisseries (Bonbons, Truffles, Macarons) (THAFAFAL)

Keywords

• Sugar confectionery products
• Chocolate bar brands
• Pick-and-mix candy
• Chewing gum products
• Branded confectionery manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Sundbyberg

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Packaged Branded Goods (Förpackade märkesvaror): Sale of packaged branded confectionery products under iconic Nordic and Dutch brands such as Kexchoklad, Ahlgrens bilar, Malaco, Läkerol, Center, Plopp, Tupla, and Juleskum. Revenue from grocery retail, convenience, and service trade channels.
2. Pick & Mix / Loose Sweets (Lösviktsgodis): CandyKing branded pick-and-mix concept with over 500 candy varieties sold through physical stores and grocery chains. The segment reported 14.9% organic growth in Q1 2026 and is a key expansion vehicle internationally, including the Manhattan store opening.
3. Scandinavian & Travel Retail: Specialized B2B and B2C sales of confectionery through airport, ferry, and travel retail channels across Scandinavia.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cloetta manufactures and sells branded confectionery products across chocolate bars, sugar confectionery, chewing gum, pastilles, and pick-and-mix loose sweets under a portfolio of iconic Nordic and Dutch brands including Kexchoklad, Ahlgrens bilar, Malaco, Red Band, Läkerol, and CandyKing. The company operates two segments: Packaged Branded Goods (chocolate, sugar confectionery, pastilles, gum) and Pick & Mix Loose Sweets, distributed through grocery retail, convenience, dedicated CandyKing stores, and travel retail across 60+ countries.

Product overview

Cloetta is Northern Europe's leading confectionery company with two core business segments: Packaged Branded Goods (forpacked märkesvaror) and Pick & Mix Loose Candy (lösviktsgodis). The company operates a portfolio of Superbrands including Kexchoklad, Ahlgrens bilar, Malaco/Gott & Blandat, Red Band, CandyKing, Läkerol, Jenkki, Tupla, Mynthon, and Juleskum, alongside sub-brands and acquired brands. CandyKing is the leading pick-and-mix brand in Europe with over 500 varieties. The company also produces through The Jelly Bean Factory (gourmet jelly beans) and has developed PlantPack sustainable packaging. Products are sold across Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, UK, Germany, and North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CandyKing: Pick-and-mix confectionery brand and leading supplier of loose sweets in Europe
• Kexchoklad
• Ahlgrens bilar
• Malaco
• Läkerol
• Red Band
• Juleskum
• Plopp
• Center
• The Jelly Bean Factory
• Tupla
• Jenkki
• Venco
• Gott & Blandat
• Cloettas bilar
• Mynthon
• Polly
• Sportlife
• Xylifresh
• Chewits
• King
• Skippers
• PlantPack

Products and services

• CandyKing Leading pick-and-mix candy brand in Europe, offering over 500 candy varieties through retail stores and dedicated CandyKing stores. Features signature 27-foot candy walls with customizable selections, plus seasonal flavor launches.
• Kexchoklad Sweden's most sold chocolate bar, a chocolate-coated wafer with a distinctive checkered pattern, sponsored since 1999 by the Swedish Alpine Ski Team. Available in original and gift-box variants.
• Ahlgrens bilar Iconic Swedish marshmallow candy established in 1953, shaped as colorful 'cars.' Featured in cross-brand collaboration with Spendrups (Trocadero flavor) and limited-edition Sodakombi x Trocadero products.
• Malaco Swedish candy brand featuring Gott & Blandat (mix bag), Zoo foam candy, and Malaco Foamy Monkeys. One of Cloetta's flagship Superbrands.
• Red Band Dutch liquorice and candy brand known for Red Band fruit drops, liquorice, and assorted confectionery. One of Cloetta's core Superbrands in the Netherlands market.
• Läkerol Swedish pastille brand known for classic mint and liquorice pastilles. Extended with the premium Läkerol MORE line in Peach and Salmiak flavors (sugar-free, vegan) launched 2026.
• Tupla Finnish chocolate bar brand. One of Cloetta's established brands in the Finnish market, produced at the Ljungsbro plant.
• Jenkki Finnish chewing gum brand, particularly known for Jenkki Pro Freshmint. Active in the Finnish market.
• The Jelly Bean Factory Gourmet jelly bean brand produced at the Dublin facility, featuring 36 flavors and sold through Amazon and specialty stores.
• Mynthon Licorice brand primarily marketed in Finland and the Baltic region.
• Juleskum Swedish marshmallow foam candy brand with roots since 1934, primarily sold during Christmas. Extended with Juleskum Family Mix and seasonal flavors including Orange Caramel.
• Sportlife Chewing gum brand produced in the Netherlands (Sneek plant), known for Sportlife gum and mints.

Quantifiable outcome

• Net sales of SEK 8.5 billion in FY 2025 with 6.9% organic growth in Q1 2026, reaching long-term 3-4% organic growth target.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IKEAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Cloetta signed a global agreement with IKEA, making Cloetta products available within IKEA's global store and food service network. This represents a significant distribution and brand exposure partnership for international expansion.
• Swedish Ski Cross TeamminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Kexchoklad expanded its sponsorship in 2025 to include the Swedish Ski Cross Team, featuring top athletes Sandra Näslund and Erik Mobärg, as part of the broader partnership with the Swedish Ski Federation.
• SpendrupscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Cloetta and Swedish beverage company Spendrups collaborated on a cross-brand product: Trocadero Zero with flavor of Ahlgrens bilar, plus limited edition Ahlgrens bilar Sodakombi x Trocadero mix bag, leveraging complementary brand heritage of both brands (both founded in 1953).
• IpsosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Cloetta collaborated with Ipsos research firm to develop the annual Joy Report, an extensive study on joy and well-being with academic input from Professor Micael Dahlén and philosopher Frank Martela.
• Svenska Skidförbundet (Swedish Ski Federation) – Alpine Ski TeamcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Kexchoklad has sponsored the Swedish Alpine Ski Team since 1999, renewed for 2024/2025 season. The iconic checkered pattern has appeared on athletes' suits including stars like Sara Hector, Kristoffer Jakobsen, and Anna Swenn-Larsson.
• Rainforest AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCloetta works with Rainforest Alliance and World Cocoa Foundation on sustainability initiatives related to key raw materials including cocoa. All cocoa and palm oil purchased by Cloetta is third-party certified, with biodiversity protection as a core requirement.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ferrero International: Global confectionery group (Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder, Tic Tac). Comparable in branded chocolate, sugar confectionery, and seasonal gifting with overlapping retail buyer relationships in European grocery channels.
• Mondelez International: Global confectionery major (Cadbury, Milka, Toblerone, Sour Patch Kids). Comparable in chocolate and sugar confectionery categories but operates at vastly greater scale and competes with Cloetta in international expansion markets like the UK and Germany.
• Mars, Incorporated: Privately held global confectionery company (M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Extra gum). Direct chocolate and gum competitor to Cloetta in core European markets and international expansion geographies.
• The Hershey Company: Largest North American chocolate manufacturer (Hershey's, Reese's). Overlaps with Cloetta in chocolate confectionery and provides a relevant US benchmark as Cloetta expands CandyKing into the US market.
• Lindt & Sprüngli: Swiss premium chocolate manufacturer with global premium positioning. Competes with Cloetta in the premium and gifting chocolate segments, particularly via Scandinavian retail distribution and travel retail channels.
• Nestlé S.A. Largest food and beverage company globally with confectionery brands (KitKat, Smarties, After Eight). Overlaps with Cloetta in chocolate confectionery and seasonal/gifting formats across European markets.

Direct peers

• Perfetti Van Melle: Italian-Dutch confectionery group producing Mentos, Chupa Chups, and a broad sugar confectionery and gum portfolio. Closely comparable to Cloetta in chewing gum, pastilles, and sugar confectionery categories across European retail.
• Fazer Group: Finnish family-owned confectionery and bakery group producing chocolate, sugar confectionery, and biscuits under brands like Fazer Blue and Karl Fazer. Direct Nordic competitor to Cloetta across chocolate and pick-and-mix in Finland and the Baltics.
• Haribo: German family-owned gummy and jelly candy manufacturer (Goldbears). Direct competitor in the sugar confectionery and pick-and-mix category where CandyKing competes, especially in German-speaking markets and via international expansion.

Regional players

• Toms Confectionery (now part of Ferrero): Historical Scandinavian sugar confectionery competitor absorbed by Ferrero. Relevant as a regional confectionery peer and as a precedent for how Nordic sugar confectionery brands can be consolidated into larger international players.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cloetta
• Xx.com/jacobbroberg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cloettade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cloetta