IKEA and Chupa Chups are releasing meatball-flavored lollipops

IKEA and Chupa Chups are releasing lollipops flavored like Swedish meatballs. The idea, which originally started as an April Fools’ Day prank, went viral on social media and was eventually released as a limited-edition product.

Hypebeast reports on this.

The new lollipop is designed to replicate the taste of IKEA’s signature Swedish meatballs. It combines savory meat notes with the sweet-and-sour flavor of lingonberry jam, which is traditionally served with this dish.

In total, about one million lollipops were produced. However, they will not be available for general sale—they are planned to be distributed during tastings at IKEA stores worldwide in June 2026. Some markets have been excluded from this campaign, including Sweden, Japan, India, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, and Slovenia. To get a sample, visitors will need to check the event schedule at their local stores.

The company explains that the launch is linked to changing consumer habits. According to IKEA’s internal research, nearly half of shoppers worldwide prefer sweet treats, and about 40% choose flavors that evoke nostalgia. In this case, they decided to reimagine a familiar treat as a dessert.

Chupa Chups called the collaboration an opportunity to test its own approaches to creating new products.

Ingka Group Commercial Manager Javier Quiñones said they decided to launch the product after the audience’s enthusiastic reaction to the April Fools’ Day announcement.

“On April 1, we asked people to imagine a lollipop that tasted like meatballs. And we couldn’t stop there—especially after such an enthusiastic response. Together with Chupa Chups, we’re bringing this idea to life. It’s a fun way to show our love for food and prove that even a simple joke can become reality and bring people together in unexpected ways,” he commented.

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