Scandinavian Specialties

What Scandinavian Specialties does

Scandinavian Specialties (dba ScanSpecialties) is a privately held specialty food and cultural goods retailer founded in 1962 by Liv Benschine, headquartered in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The company operates a single physical retail store and a complementary Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront at scanspecialties.com, offering over 1,284 SKUs of authentic imported Scandinavian products spanning dairy (Nøkkelost, Jarlsberg, Gudbrandsdalsost, Lurpak butter), meats (salami, Swedish meatballs, holiday specialties like Fenalår and Pinnekjøtt), seafood (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and tinned fish), pantry staples, baking supplies, spices, condiments, jams, soups, vegetables, Nordic candy and licorice, chocolate (Norwegian Freia, Swedish, Finnish Fazer, Icelandic Noi Sirius), marzipan, desserts, Läkerol pastilles, Scandinavian books, home goods, Dala horses, Moomin merchandise, and Nordic apparel. The company also operates an in-store café and offers catering services.

The business model is direct-to-consumer retail with three revenue streams: online e-commerce sales (national shipping with perishable items requiring expedited shipping Monday through Thursday), in-person physical store sales at the Ballard location, and café/catering services. Pricing is per-unit (and per-pound for cheeses and specialty meats) on a pay-as-you-go basis, with gift cards/certificates available. Perishable items have geographic shipping restrictions: meats ship within Washington State only, and cheese is recommended for expedited shipping outside the Pacific Northwest. Payment methods include American Express, Apple Pay, Diners Club, Discover, Google Pay, Mastercard, PayPal, Shop Pay, and Visa. Pricing ranges from approximately $1.79 for individual candy items to $378.99 for high-end goods.

The company positions itself as the last remaining Scandinavian store in Seattle, serving as a cultural ambassador for Nordic heritage in the United States. Marketing is conducted primarily through organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), an annual downloadable PDF food catalog, and the café menu. The firm is independently owned with no disclosed institutional investment, no parent company, no subsidiaries, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity. Technology is limited to standard Shopify e-commerce with no proprietary systems, apps, APIs, or AI capabilities.

Name

Scandinavian Specialties

Legal name

Scandinavian Specialties

Website

https://scanspecialties.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scandinavian Specialties is a privately held Seattle-based specialty retailer, founded in 1962, that sells over 1,284 imported Nordic food, gift, and home-good products through a Ballard storefront, Shopify e-commerce site, café, and catering service, serving Scandinavian-heritage consumers and Nordic food enthusiasts across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Retail

NAICS

All Other Miscellaneous Retailers (459999), All Other Miscellaneous Retailers (45999), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Food Stores (5400), Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)

akta.pro primary industry

Country/Region-Specific Ethnic Grocery Stores (CRAHAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Imported & Regional Specialty Food Stores (CRAHAGAL), Ethnic Grocery + Butcher/Bakery/Hot Bar (Integrated Service Counters) (CRAHAFAM)

Keywords

• Scandinavian specialty foods
• Imported grocery retail
• Specialty food e-commerce
• Nordic gift shop
• Café and catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Retail Sales: Direct online sales of Scandinavian food products, groceries, gifts, and home goods through Shopify-powered storefront. Customers purchase individual items at listed prices with shipping calculated at checkout.
2. Physical Retail Store Sales: In-store sales at the Ballard, Seattle location. Customers can browse and purchase products directly without shipping fees.
3. Café and Catering Services: Café menu and catering services offered to complement the retail business.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Scandinavian Specialties imports and retails authentic Nordic (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic) foods and cultural goods through a Shopify-powered online storefront and a physical store in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. Its 1,284+ SKU catalog spans dairy, meats, seafood, bakery, pantry staples, sweets, beverages, books, home goods, gifts, and apparel, supplemented by an in-store café and catering services.

Product overview

Scandinavian Specialties is an e-commerce platform and physical retail store specializing in imported Scandinavian (Nordic) foods, groceries, and cultural products since 1962. The company operates as a single unified Shopify-based online store offering over 1,284 products across multiple categories. The product portfolio centers on Scandinavian food imports including dairy (assorted cheeses, butter), meats (salami, Swedish meatballs, holiday specialties), seafood (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish fish products), bakery items (lefse, crispbreads, cookies), pantry staples (baking ingredients, spices, condiments, jams), sweets (Nordic candy, chocolate, marzipan, licorice), beverages (coffee, tea, sodas, syrups), and prepared foods (soups, desserts). Complementing the food offerings are non-food categories including Scandinavian books (history, cookbooks, children's books, Viking mythology), home goods (linens, candles, kitchen items, Swedish dishcloths), gifts (Dala horses, Moomin merchandise, trolls), and Nordic apparel. The company also operates a physical café and offers catering services from its Ballard, Seattle location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dairy Products Assorted Scandinavian dairy including cheeses (Nøkkelost, Jarlsberg, Gudbrandsdalsost, Norwegian Havarti, Prästost, Herrgård, Greve, Danbo), spreadable cheeses (Snøfrisk, Kavli, Fjällbrynt), and Lurpak butter, sold to U.S. consumers seeking authentic Nordic dairy.
• Meat Products Scandinavian-style meats including salami varieties (Goteborg, Mailander, German, Hungarian, Old Forest, Mustard Seed, Cervelat), Swedish meatballs, Scandinavian potato sausage, Leverpostei, Wienerpølse, Medisterpølse, Norwegian meatballs, and holiday specialty meats like Fenalår and Pinnekjøtt.
• Seafood Products Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and tinned fish including fish cakes, fish balls, lutefisk, smoked salmon, sardines, herring varieties, mackerel, shrimp, and caviar from brands like King Oscar, Abba, Mills, Stabburet, Sunnmøre, and Fangst.
• Bakery & Pantry Norwegian lefse (Freddy's, Rieber), crackers and crispbreads (Norwegian Baked, Leksands, Finn Crisp, Fazer, Trenary Toast), cookies and snacks (Nyåkers, Estrella, Göteborgs, Fazer), and cereals and muesli (Seitenbacher).
• Baking Ingredients Baking supplies including syrups (Ljus Sirap, Mörk Sirap), vanilla sugar, pearl sugar, potato starch flour, marzipan (Odense, Carstens Lubecker), barley flour, and cinnamon/vanilla sugar sprinkles from Freia, Dan Sukker, Swan, and Dr. Oetker.
• Spices & Finishing Salt Cooking spices including cardamom, saffron, juniper berries, caraway seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger from India Tree, Burlap & Barrel, and The Spice House; finishing salts including Arctic Sea Salt Flakes, Birch Smoked Salt, Licorice Salt, Seaweed Salt, and Lava Sea Salt from Havsnø and Nordur Salt.
• Coffee, Tea & Beverages Coffee blends (Thor House Blend, Freya Dark Roast, Odin Espresso Blend) from Oslo Coffee Roasters, fruit syrups (D'arbo, Lerum), Solo orange soda, Freia cocoa products, glögg mix, and teas from Teekanne, Nordqvist, and D'arbo.
• Condiments Condiments including mustards (Idun, Slotts, Lars), ketchup (Idun), honey (Langnese, Sunflower), crispy onions, and vinegars from Idun, Langnese, Lars, Druvan, Surig, and Thomy.
• Jams & Preserves Lingonberry preserves and berry spreads from D'arbo, Felix, Hafi, Finnish Flavours, and Scandinavian Delights (Den Gamle Fabrik).
• Soups, Sauces & Mixes Waffle and pancake mixes (Toro, Lars, Lund's), blueberry and rosehip soups (Ekströms), gravies and bouillons (Knorr), sauces (Toro Peppersaus), Maggi seasoning, and porridge mixes.
• Vegetable Products Pickled and prepared vegetables including sauerkraut (Surkål), red cabbage (Rødkål), whole peas (yellow and green), cucumber products, and pickled beets from Stabburet Nora, Felix, and Beauvais.
• Candy & Licorice Nordic candy including Haribo varieties, Anis de Flavigny pastilles, Nidar candies, and Swedish bulk candy (BonBon, Bubs Godis, Kolsvart, Sweetish); licorice including Lakrids by Bülow, Haribo, Nidar, and international varieties.
• Chocolate Norwegian chocolate (Freia, Nidar), Swedish chocolate, Finnish chocolate (Fazer), Icelandic chocolate (Noi Sirius), and craft chocolates (Goodio, Standout, Omnom) including bars, filled candies, and seasonal varieties.
• Marzipan Lübeck marzipan in various sizes (Carstens) and classic and flavored marzipan bars including orange variety.
• Desserts Puddings, mousses, and dessert mixes from Dr. Oetker, Freia, Ekströms, and Junket including chocolate pudding, crème brûlée, and various mousse flavors.
• Läkerol Pastilles Swedish sugar-free pastilles in various flavors including Salmiak, Cassis, Salvi, Peppermint, Cactus, Raspberry Licorice, and Lemon from Läkerol of Sweden.
• Books - Scandinavian Literature Coffee table books, cookbooks, history books, Viking/Norse mythology, coloring/activity books, craft/hobby, lifestyle/humor, language/travel guides, novels, biographies, and children's books including works by Fredrik Backman, Astrid Lindgren, and Moomin titles.
• Home & Kitchen Home décor including blankets, candles, crystal/glass, Ekelund linens, felt decor, Swedish dishcloths, soaps, napkins, and kitchen items such as cookware, kitchen tools, cheese slicers, mugs, and salt/pepper shakers.
• Gifts & Accessories Dala horses, Moomin merchandise, trolls, puzzles and games, bags/totes (Hinza eco totes), jewelry, knives (Marttiini), flags, keychains, calendars, Christmas items, and gift certificates.
• Apparel Nordic clothing including children's clothing, hats, t-shirts (country-specific designs), socks (Bengt & Lotta), sweaters, and Viking helmets.
• Café & Catering Services In-store café offering Scandinavian café menu items and catering services for events, served from the Ballard, Seattle location.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ScanSpecialtiesWA
• Instagraminstagram.com/scanspecialties
• TikToktiktok.com/@scandinavianspecialties
• Xx.com/scanselectwa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scandinavian-specialties

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Scandinavian Specialties