Coffee in Sweden#Restrictions

File:Cleaning women at coffee break in tram depot, Stockholm 1930 (6081775137).jpg

Coffee was introduced to Sweden in the mid-17th century. In 1657, Swedish diplomat Claes Rålamb encountered coffee during a diplomatic mission to Constantinople. He described it as a "cooked drink of beans" consumed hot.{{Cite news |last=Rålamb |first=Claes |date=1657 |title=Description of Constantinople |url=https://a43.se/en/history/swedens-coffee-history-began-in-gothenburg |access-date=2025-01-09}} Despite this early mention, coffee did not gain immediate popularity in Sweden.{{Cite journal |last=Svanberg |first=Ingvar |date=April 1993 |title=Coffee in Sweden: A question of morality, health, and economy |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233125537 |journal=Food and Foodways |volume=5(3):239-254}}

The first recorded shipment of coffee arrived in 1685 in Gothenburg. Initially, coffee was regarded as a medicinal product and was sold in pharmacies. Its high cost restricted consumption to the wealthier classes. King Charles XII, during his stay in the Ottoman Empire in the early 18th century, developed a taste for coffee and introduced Turkish coffee-making practices upon his return, contributing to its spread in Sweden.{{Cite news |title=Sweden's Coffee History Began in Gothenburg |url=https://a43.se/en/history/swedens-coffee-history-began-in-gothenburg |website=A43 Kaffebaren |access-date=2025-01-09}}

Coffee consumption faced opposition in its early years. Critics such as Carl Linnaeus warned of its health effects,{{Citation |last=Brown |first=Carolina |title=6. At the coffee table |date=2024-07-15 |work=Comfortable Everyday Life at the Swedish Eighteenth-Century Näs Manor |pages=243–274 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9789048562381-009/html |access-date=2025-01-09 |publisher=Amsterdam University Press |language=en |doi=10.1515/9789048562381-009 |isbn=978-90-485-6238-1|url-access=subscription }} advocating for herbal alternatives,{{Cite journal |last=Hodacs |first=Hanna |date=November 2023 |title=Substituting Coffee and Tea in the Eighteenth Century: A Rural and Material History with Global Implications |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-global-history/article/substituting-coffee-and-tea-in-the-eighteenth-century-a-rural-and-material-history-with-global-implications/AF5822BA9E60F38A96FF85956F1F7765 |journal=Journal of Global History |language=en |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=461–480 |doi=10.1017/S1740022823000086 |issn=1740-0228}} while economic concerns, including the negative balance of trade caused by the importing of exotic 'luxuries' including coffee, led to government bans. King Gustav III opposed coffee, commissioning an experiment on its effects.{{cite web |last=Sempler |first=Kaianders |date=15 March 2006 |title=Gustav IIIs odödliga kaffeexperiment |trans-title=Gustav III's immortal coffee experiment |url=http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/allmant/article247458.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001015448/http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/allmant/article247458.ece |archive-date=1 October 2012 |access-date=6 February 2012 |publisher=Ny Teknik |language=sv}} Between 1756 and 1823, coffee was prohibited on five occasions,{{Cite journal |last1=Knutsson |first1=Anna |last2=Hodacs |first2=Hanna |title=When coffee was banned: strategies of labour and leisure among Stockholm's poor women, 1794–1796 and 1799–1802 |date=2023-05-04 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03585522.2021.2000489 |journal=Scandinavian Economic History Review |volume=71 |issue=2 |pages=176–198 |doi=10.1080/03585522.2021.2000489 |issn=0358-5522}} but these bans were largely ineffective. Coffee consumption continued, with underground societies known as "coffee guilds" forming during prohibition periods.{{Cite news |title=How coffee travelled from Ethiopia to Sweden and became a national tradition |url=https://www.polestar.com/global/news/how-coffee-travelled-from-ethiopia-to-sweden-and-became-a-national-tradition/ |date=2024-03-01 |access-date=2025-01-09}} Restrictions ended in 1823.{{Cite web |date=2018-07-02 |title=Once upon a time, when coffee was illegal in Sweden... say what now? |url=https://www.thelocal.se/20180702/why-coffee-was-banned-in-sweden-five-times |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=The Local Sweden |language=en}}File:Coffee for sale in a Swedish shop 1951 (JOKAUAS2 797-1).tif

Coffee gradually gained popularity in Sweden, becoming a staple by 1850, even among the working class and rural poor. While brännvin (vodka) could be home-distilled, coffee beans had to be imported. As a result, rural Swedes often consumed coffee-based or coffee-like beverages up to five times a day, stretching their supplies with local substitutes such as dried chicory, grains mixed with syrup, or a dough made from rye and potatoes.{{Cite web |last=Gershon |first=Livia |date=2022-11-21 |title=The Swedish-American Coffee Tradition |url=https://daily.jstor.org/the-swedish-american-coffee-tradition/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=JSTOR Daily |language=en-US}}

Around this time, the temperance movement and new alcohol regulations transformed Swedish drinking culture. Alcohol consumption during work hours became socially unacceptable, with coffee replacing it as the drink of choice for workers. This shift led to a café boom, with Stockholm hosting nearly 800 cafés by 1887.{{Cite web |title=Sweden's alcohol policy |url=https://theabsolutgroup.com/legacy/post/lo-smith-english/swedens-alcohol-policy/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=The Absolut Group |language=en-US}}

The introduction of the iron stove in the 19th century made home coffee brewing accessible, and coffee became central to Swedish households. The cultural tradition of Fika began to emerge during this time.{{Cite web |last=emmaaxelsson |date=2021-08-24 |title=The history of fika |url=https://fikatrail.com/about-fika/the-history-of-fika/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=fikatrail |language=en-US}}

File:FIKA, Norton Road, Hove 2023-09-02.jpg

Fika is a well-established tradition within Swedish coffee culture, characterised by a designated break during which individuals consume coffee, typically accompanied by buns or pastries, in a social setting.{{Cite news |title=Swedish Coffee and Culture |url=https://www.nescafe.com/gb/coffee-culture/knowledge/swedish-coffee |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Nescafé}} Fika is regarded as a social institution that encourages pausing from daily tasks. It is commonly observed in workplaces, homes, and cafes across Sweden.{{Cite web |last=Hotson |first=Elizabeth |title=Is this the sweet secret to Swedish success? |url=http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160112-in-sweden-you-have-to-stop-work-to-chat |date=12 January 2016 |access-date=2 February 2017 |publisher=BBC}}

The practice, derived from a slang inversion of the word 'coffee' ({{Langx|sv|kaffe}}), has historical roots dating back to the late 19th century. Traditionally, fika takes place at set times, such as mid-morning and mid-afternoon, though in contemporary settings it can occur more informally. Some Swedish workplaces facilitate fika through designated communal spaces, and in some cases, fika breaks are explicitly included in employment contracts.{{Cite news |last=Harper |first=Leah |date=2023-11-08 |title=Fika, four-week holidays – and zero overtime: Sweden's stunningly healthy work culture |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/nov/08/fika-four-week-holidays-and-zero-overtime-swedens-stunningly-healthy-work-culture |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |title=A Quick Read During Fika |url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/south-africa-pretoria/current/news/embassy-newsletter-issue-1 |date=2 Aug 2023 |first1=Hakan |last1=Juholt |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Sweden Abroad |language=en}} The coffee consumed during fika is often accompanied by pastries such as cinnamon buns or other baked goods, including seasonal items like saffron buns and semla, though savoury options may also be included.{{Cite web |date=Jan 3, 2023 |title=Swedish Fika: Sweden's 'Premium Coffee Break' Explained |url=https://archive.today/20230913233554/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2023/01/03/swedish-fika-swedens-premium-coffee-break-explained/?sh=286700035ec1 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Forbes |first1=David |last1=Nikel }}

In the 21st century the concept of fika has gained international recognition, with cafes inspired by the tradition opening in cities around the world. It has also been linked to workplace productivity, as studies suggest that regular breaks contribute to efficiency and well-being.

File:Coffee shop in Göteborg railway station, Sweden .jpg ]]

Sweden is among the highest coffee-consuming countries globally, with an average consumption of approximately {{Convert|8.2|kg|abbr=on}} per capita annually.{{Cite news |title=Per Capita Coffee Consumption in Sweden |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/424179/per-capita-coffee-consumption-in-sweden/ |website=Statista |access-date=2025-01-09}}{{dead link|date=May 2025}} Brewed coffee remains the most popular preparation method, although espresso-based drinks have gained traction.{{Cite web |last=Andersson |first=Karl |date=2023-10-15 |title=Nordic Coffee Culture Explained: From Fika to Kask |url=https://nordicperspective.com/culture/nordic-scandinavian-coffee-drinking-culture-explained |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Nordic Perspective |language=en-US}}

Another historic coffee preparation method in Sweden, still common in the Northern Sweden, is "kokkaffe", or boiled coffee.{{Cite web |date=2014-01-26 |title=Typically Swedish: Kokkaffe (Boiled Coffee) - Five Euro Food |url=https://homesweetsweden.com/typically-swedish-kokkaffe-boiled-coffee-giveaway/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Home Sweet Sweden |last1=Charles |language=en-US}} This process involves adding water and coarsely ground coffee to a pot or pan, bringing it to a boil, and then straining it into a cup or flask.

Swedes generally prefer medium to dark roasts, and the popularity of speciality coffee has grown in recent years. Cafés featuring artisanal brewing methods and micro-roasteries have become more common.

File:Gevalia, Gävle 04.jpg coffee roastery in Gävle]]

Sweden's coffee industry has an annual roasting volume of approximately 88,000 tonnes, accounting for about 5% of the European Union's total. The industry includes a mix of large-scale roasters and smaller micro-roasteries.{{Cite news |title=The Scandinavian market potential for coffee |date=23 April 2024 |url=https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/coffee/scandinavia/market-potential |website=CBI Ministry of Foreign Affairs |access-date=2025-01-09}}

Four major companies dominate the Swedish coffee market:

• Gevalia, owned by JDE Peet's, based in Gävle, holds around 40% of the market share.
• Zoégas, owned by Nestle, located in Helsingborg, accounts for approximately 20% of the market.
• Löfbergs, headquartered in Karlstad, has about a 15% share.
• Arvid Nordquist, based in Stockholm, holds around 9% of the market.

These companies primarily import green coffee beans through the ports of Gothenburg and Gävle. Smaller roasters and micro-roasteries, specialising in speciality coffee, account for the remaining market share.{{Cite news |title=The Evolution of Fika in Sweden |url=https://swedishheritage.se/2025/the-evolution-of-fika |website=Swedish National Heritage Board |access-date=2025-01-09}}

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