Fazer: The Finnish-Swedish Chocolate Icon
Fazer is the Finnish chocolate institution that Sweden adopted as its own. Here is the story behind the blue bar and the brand's salty-licorice side.
Fazer is a Finnish confectionery icon, founded by Karl Fazer in Helsinki in 1891, best known for its Fazer Blue milk chocolate. It is hugely popular across the Nordics, including Sweden, and also makes licorice and salmiak. For many Nordics, the blue Fazer bar is a childhood standard.
A Helsinki institution since 1891
Karl Fazer opened his first cafe in Helsinki in 1891, and the company grew into one of the Nordic region's biggest confectioners. Its milk chocolate, Fazer Blue, is the signature.
More than chocolate
Fazer also makes licorice and salmiak, tying it to the Nordic salty-licorice tradition. It spans sweet and salty in one brand.
Why Sweden loves it too
Though Finnish, Fazer is a fixture in Sweden, which shares the Nordic sweet tooth. See the brands worth knowing and the Fazer range.
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Gustav Lindqvist · Candy Master
Gustav grew up in Sweden on a strict Saturday-candy schedule, mixing his lördagsgodis bag at the lösgodis wall before he could spell salmiak. He has spent years tasting his way across Scandinavian candy, and now curates the range at TheSweetsTruck, from BUBS sour skulls to the saltiest licorice most people cannot finish.
Last updated 6/29/2026