Saturday Candy Co. opening in Westhampton Beach
Saturday Candy Co. specializes in vegan and gluten-free Swedish candy. Credit: Dan Palumbo
In an age where ultra-processed foods and sweets with dyes and other additives are a growing red flag for health-conscious Long Island parents, Saturday Candy Co. has emerged and multiplied. A mere eight months after debuting in Stony Brook, and two months after its second, in Sayville, the couple behind the candy shop plan to open their third outpost in July.
It'll open in Westhampton Beach in time to catch the wave of summer Hamptons visitors, says Bo Brandt, who runs the business with his wife, Julia Brandt. The shop specializes in vegan and gluten-free Swedish candy. Because the candies are imported from Sweden, where Julia is from, they're subject to stricter food laws enforced by the European Union, mandating cleaner ingredients and limiting or requiring special labeling of artificial dyes, like ones currently under review for ban in New York by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The candy's foamy, marshmallowlike texture also sets it apart.
Saturday Candy Co.'s Stony Brook shop. Credit: Dan Palumbo
"There's a sense of purity in our candy that other candies don't offer," Bo says. "Health is a major part of people's lives. We want to represent a little bit of a healthier alternative. It is more wholesome in comparison to what's offered now."
The third store will be laid out the same as the original, with five dozen varieties of sweet and sour gummy candies scoopable for custom bags starting at $18. A wall of candy will fill most of the store, with an adjacent, cozy seating area for visitors.
"My wife came up with all of the interior design," Bo says. "We want people to have a good feeling when they leave here."
Saturday Candy Co. co-owner Julia Brandt at her Stony Brook candy store. Credit: Dan Palumbo
Local interest in the candies originated with buzz on social media. Taste test videos of the gummy candies went vital on TikTok and Instagram in spring 2024, sending users out to seek the sweets.
Saturday Candy Co. also has a mobile rental cart starting at $1,000 for two-hour events, featuring 10 candy varieties for up to 65 guests. Party favor bags are also popular offerings, Bo says.
The Brandts may transition the third location to a seasonal model at the end of the summer.
Saturday Candy Co., expected to open around July 1 at 1 Moniebogue Lane, Westhampton Beach. Sayville: 12 Gillette Ave., Stony Brook: 73 Main St., 631-525-3492, saturdaycandyco.org
