Ahlgrens bilar Target launches nationwide beginning September 17, 2026, as Swedish confectionery group Cloetta brings its best-selling foam candy to U.S. shelves for the first time, exclusively at Target stores and on Target.com. The car-shaped candy has been a household name in Sweden since 1953, with about 2.6 billion pieces sold there every year.
Ahlgrens Bilar Target Launch: What Cloetta Announced
Cloetta Group, described in its own release as Northern Europe’s leading confectionery company, announced via PR Newswire on September 17, 2026 that Ahlgrens bilar is debuting in the U.S. exclusively at Target. The candy launches with four varieties:
- Original — Sweden’s most sold candy bag
- Sour
- Fruity Duo (raspberry, lemon, and tutti-frutti)
- Sour & Fruity (raspberry, pineapple, and peach)
According to Cloetta, the candy dates back to 1953, when an attempt to make marshmallows in Sweden accidentally produced a soft, chewy, car-shaped treat instead. The exact flavoring of the Original and Sour cars is described in the release as “a famously well-kept secret.” The brand’s Swedish popularity runs deep enough that astronaut Christer Fuglesang reportedly brought Ahlgrens bilar cars with him to the International Space Station in 2009.
“Launching Sweden’s most sold candy bag exclusively at Target is an important step in our ongoing U.S. expansion,” said Niklas Truedsson, Area President Growth and Chief Pick & Mix Officer at Cloetta Group, in the announcement. The launch follows Cloetta’s CandyKing Pick & Mix store in New York’s West Village and an ongoing Pick & Mix pilot at DeCicco’s supermarkets in New York.
Ahlgrens bilar joins a run of candy brands using Target exclusives to enter the U.S. market this year, a pattern also visible in recent launches like Hershey’s Creme Bars with KATSEYE and M&M’S Practical Magic 2 Halloween packs.
What the Ahlgrens Bilar Target Packaging Looks Like
Is This Common?
Yes. European confectionery brands entering the U.S. through a single big-box retailer before a wider rollout is a well-worn playbook — it lets the brand build awareness and gauge demand without committing to a full national distribution deal right away. What stands out here is the brand’s scale in its home market: Cloetta says roughly 2.6 billion pieces of Ahlgrens bilar are sold in Sweden each year, a figure that comes directly from the company’s own release and has not been independently verified by this site.
Quick Questions
- Where can I buy Ahlgrens bilar in the U.S.? Exclusively at Target stores nationwide and on Target.com, per Cloetta’s announcement.
- What flavors are available? Original, Sour, Fruity Duo (raspberry, lemon, tutti-frutti), and Sour & Fruity (raspberry, pineapple, peach).
- How long has the candy existed? Since 1953 in Sweden — this is its first official U.S. retail launch.
Update Log
- September 18, 2026: Article published following Cloetta’s official PR Newswire announcement of the Ahlgrens bilar Target launch.
