Maine’s Swedish Candy Story: One Family, Two Sødt Shops

Maine’s Swedish candy scene is a one-family story: Sødt, Danish for “sweet”, run by a Danish-American mother and her two daughters, with a flagship in Portland and a new Freeport store that opened in June 2026. Two stores, one family, and no dedicated shops anywhere else in the state.

Portland: the flagship

Sødt – Nordic Candy: Portland

119 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME · sodtme.com · Sun–Thu 11–8, Fri–Sat 11–9 · (207) 536-1731

Opened May 2025 by Nikoline Ostergaard, a Danish native, with her sister Signe and mother Liz. A woman-owned, Danish-heritage pick-and-mix bar with authentic sweet-and-sour candies, chocolate, caramels and black licorice imported from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland. Sold about 400 pounds in its first week; the shop stocks 10,000+ pounds. Covered by Mainebiz and the Boston Globe. Also does weddings and events (pick-and-mix booths, custom bags, charcuterie trays, gluten-free and vegan options).

Freeport: the expansion

Sødt – Nordic Candy: Freeport

58 Main St, Freeport, ME · daily 10–7

Opened June 13, 2026, a 2,300-square-foot space carrying about half the Portland inventory. Same family, same pick-and-mix concept. Freeport is the L.L.Bean town, so expect tourist traffic. Covered by Mainebiz at opening.

Everywhere else in Maine

No dedicated Swedish candy stores were found in Bangor, Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, Camden, Augusta or Brunswick. Portland also has Scandinavian context worth a nod: Fika (a Swedish bakery walk-up) and Simply Scandinavian (a Scandinavian importer boutique), not candy stores, but Swedish-adjacent. Outside Portland and Freeport, ordering online is the move: start with our best places to order Swedish candy online or compare prices in our Swedish candy price comparisons.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I buy Swedish candy in Maine?

  Sødt – Nordic Candy is Maine’s only dedicated Nordic candy store, with two locations: 119 Cumberland Ave in Portland and 58 Main St in Freeport.

• What does Sødt mean?

  Sødt is Danish for “sweet”. The shop is run by Nikoline Ostergaard, a Danish native, with her sister Signe and mother Liz.

• When did Sødt open?

  The Portland flagship opened May 2025; the Freeport store opened June 13, 2026.

• Is there a Swedish candy store in Bar Harbor or Kennebunkport?

  No dedicated Swedish candy stores were found in Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, Bangor, Camden, Augusta or Brunswick. Sødt in Portland and Freeport are the state’s only dedicated shops.

• Where can I get Swedish candy in Maine outside Portland?

  Try Sødt’s Freeport location (58 Main St, daily 10–7), otherwise ordering online is the move: see our best places to order Swedish candy online.