The Desire to Create
The story of LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW is about the world’s smallest liquorice factory and one man’s desire to make the whole world fall in love with liquorice, one piece at a time. To hear more about the history and vision of the business, we spent some time with CEO Fredrik Nilsson.
The brand was founded based on a deep love for liquorice, with the founder believing its full potential had yet to be explored. Determined to elevate the ingredient above its traditional form, he spent over a year in his mother’s kitchen perfecting a recipe for gourmet liquorice.
Part of that innovation was pairing liquorice with chocolate. Today, the brand continues to experiment with a range of chocolates, including dark, milk, white and dulce to create unique flavour combinations.
From those early days in a home kitchen, LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW has grown into an international name with its own production facility just outside Copenhagen and stores around the world. Across everything they do, they remain committed to their authentic production methods and high-quality ingredients, showcasing Danish craftsmanship at its very best.
They currently operate 45 retail stores across Denmark, Germany, UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Austria and the UAE, with their products being sold through nearly 2,000 retailers in 35 countries.
In 2023, they launched their first London store on Monmouth Street, Seven Dials, marking an exciting step in the UK market. The store is conveniently located near Covent Garden, one of the capital’s most popular shopping and cultural destinations. As with all their stores, customers can explore and taste both their permanent and limited-edition flavours and learn about their brand through guidance from their friendly expert team.
“Following the launch of our first UK store we have since opened a store in Canary Wharf and in Westfield White City, alongside listings in John Lewis and Liberty London which we are incredibly proud of,” says Fredrik Nilsson, CEO of LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW. “We are also very proud to share that we will be opening our first Selfridges concession this month, which is a huge milestone for us to be stocked in such an iconic retailer.”
At the heart of the company’s strategy is making the world love liquorice and with this comes a target of global growth. While their presence in Denmark and the Nordics is strong, the UK has shown remarkable traction. The brand delivered strong growth of 25 per cent for the first quarter of 2026, with double-digit growth across all channels and especially strong performance in DACH, UK and the US. Expansion plans are continuing in the UK and the US, where they see huge potential.
In addition, product innovation is at the core of LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW and their head of product development experiments daily in their Creative Lab at the factory, exploring new flavour profiles and unexpected combinations. Their aim has always been to uncover what their customers want before they even know it themselves – continuously pushing the boundaries of what liquorice can be, with experimental flavours and creations such as STRAWBERRY MATCHA and LIME CRACKLE.
“A lot of people think they do not like liquorice, but our experience tells us something different. Many simply have not tasted ours yet. Our premium, chocolate-coated liquorice surprises, captivates and often wins over even the most doubtful liquorice sceptics. This is why sampling plays such an important role in the experience we create for our guests,” highlights Nilsson.
Passionate about trusting their customers’ opinions, the business never fears trying something new and innovative and are supported by their trusty tasting panel, LAKRIDS LOVERS, which features over 300,000 members globally. This panel was developed in 2021 as a way to get even closer to their incredible community of liquorice lovers and keep them engaged by giving them a chance to be part of their product development.
“When it comes to attracting new customers, we believe our greatest asset is the power of taste. The moment someone tries our gourmet liquorice, everything changes and they fall in love with the rich, bold flavour that makes our products truly one of a kind,” Nilsson comments.
Operating a balanced channel strategy across retail, wholesale/B2B and e-commerce, approximately one-third of revenue is generated from each channel, a highly unusual structure in the confectionery industry that provides resilience, market reach and flexibility. Their seasonal ranges, like the LOVE and WINTER collections, are consistently popular across all channels, with gifting playing a really important role in their overall offering.
Nilsson tells us that social media is central to their communication strategy, with over 130,000 followers on their Instagram channel. They recognise the power social media has on consumer perception and they leverage this to help educate their consumers about new launches and innovations by choosing relevant content creators to partner with. For example, in the UK they recently partnered with Matt Adlard, an influential chef to educate his followers on how they can use their syrup to elevate everyday baking.
A major element within the industry today is sustainability and since January 2024, the company has proudly been a Certified B Corporation™, demonstrating their commitment to measurable social and environmental progress.
From carefully sourced ingredients and local partnerships to a Danish factory powered by 100 per cent renewable wind energy through the purchase of green certificates and packaging designed with recycled materials and recyclability in mind, they continue to learn, improve and make more considered choices that help drive positive change.
“As we consider what the key drivers are behind the company, the ability to change perceptions is what truly sets LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW apart from concepts. By elevating liquorice to a gourmet level through a distinctly Scandinavian perspective, combining craftsmanship, design and culinary-driven flavour innovation, we have helped define an entirely new category and transformed a niche Nordic favourite into a premium indulgence with global appeal,” Nilsson highlights.
“As we look ahead, we are focused on global awareness and continuing to lead in gourmet liquorice. We have some very exciting growth opportunities across our global markets to help expand our reach and support our mission to make the world love liquorice. Our challenge is staying ahead in a competitive confectionery market while maintaining our Danish craftsmanship and innovation that define our brand.”
