What started as a cheeky April Fools’ gag is officially becoming reality: IKEA and Chupa Chups are actually releasing a limited‑edition meatball‑inspired lollipop this June — and yes, it tastes like the iconic Swedish meatball with a hint of lingonberry.
Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer globally, confirmed that after their April 1 prank went viral, the company decided to turn the joke into a real, edible product.
The collaboration with Chupa Chups will see one million of the novelty lollipops handed out for free at IKEA stores around the world, including across Canada.
The collaboration ties into IKEA’s year‑long focus on Cooking & Eating — highlighting how food brings people together and sparks joy. A recent IKEA study found that 50 per cent of Canadians say they have a sweet tooth, 35 per cent enjoy trying new cuisines and 40 per cent of people globally are drawn to foods tied to childhood nostalgia.
IKEA says Chupa Chups’ confectioners have spent the past weeks developing a sweet that captures the “flavours and feeling” of IKEA’s famous meatballs, but reimagined as a playful candy.
Javier Quiñones, Commercial Manager at Ingka Group, said the overwhelming reaction to the April Fools’ post pushed them to make it real.
“On April 1st, we invited people to imagine a meatball lollipop. And we couldn’t help but take it one step further — especially after the enthusiastic response,” he said. “It’s a fun way to celebrate our love of food, and to show that even a simple joke can turn into something real.”
The lollipops will not be sold, meaning the only way to try one is to visit an IKEA store in June. Exact Canadian dates and distribution details will be announced soon.