What Flavor Are Swedish Fish? You’ll Never Guess

In the grand spectrum of candy, I feel Swedish Fish are a secret superhero. It may not be the one you’re clamoring for as a youth, but as you get older, wiser, and more mature, you begin to give those crimson carp their due. The fact is, they’re delicious and I for one can’t get enough of them (seriously, if there’s a bag of them around, it won’t be around for long). But one question remains! We know Swedish fish are red, but what flavor are Swedish fish? Join us today as we get to the bottom (or ocean floor) of that long-wondered mystery.

Are Swedish Fish cherry flavored?

C’mon, you think just because they’re red, they’ve got to be cherry flavored? Is ketchup cherry flavored? Are lobsters cherry flavored?? Are cherries cherry flavored??? Well, hold on, don’t answer that last one. I clearly got ahead of myself. But, you get my point. It’s not cherry, is all I’m saying. Alright, calming down now.

Then what is the Swedish Fish flavor, exactly?

Fans have long debated the flavor of this beloved candy. Some insist it’s cherry, citing its red coloring, but you don’t want to get me revved up on THAT subject again. Others suggest blackcurrant or watermelon (I fear for the tastebuds of these folks). However, according to the company itself, the true flavor of Swedish Fish is… lingonberries. There, don’t you feel better? It’s fine that you didn’t know, because who in their entire life has ever eaten a lingonberry? I’ve had a raspberry, I’ve had a Boo Berry, I’ve even had a Chuck Berry (song stuck in my head) but never a lingonberry! But, if they taste as good as those little fish gummies make them out to be, get me to the farmer’s market!

Are there other Swedish Fish flavors?

In addition to the original lingonberry, Swedish Fish have spread their fins and added a few other flavors to the mix over the years. Swedish Fish now come in lemon (yellow fish), lime (green fish), grape (purple fish), and orange (hmmm, no word on the color of these ones, sorry—you’ll have to use your best judgment). Although each flavor has its own unique taste, they all have in common the word “Swedish” branded onto their side, and they have that pleasant gummy consistency that we all know and love.

Though they may never achieve the “cool candy” status of Starburst or Skittles, Swedish Fish are as solid a sweet treat as there ever will be. Hopefully they’ll be brightening grocery check-out racks and giving parents something to snag from trick-or-treat bags for years to come.