How Many Swedish Meatballs Ikea Sells In A Year

Each year, IKEA sells more than a staggering 1 billion meatballs worldwide, making them a global favorite and an unexpected icon for the Swedish retailer. Introduced in 1985, IKEA's Swedish meatballs quickly became a hit, drawing as much attention as the store's flatpack furniture. Today, these meatballs have become a unique part of the IKEA experience, blending Swedish heritage with a flavor customers recognize globally.

The meatballs were introduced to allow shoppers an opportunity to recharge midway through their journey amongst the labyrinth of furniture displays. IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad believed that by offering affordable, tasty food, customers would be more likely to stay longer, browse more, and feel satisfied after a day of shopping. The meatballs were IKEA's answer to both convenience and a slight nod to Swedish cuisine.

Nowadays, IKEA offers variations on its classic recipe to meet evolving dietary preferences. While the traditional beef-and-pork meatball is still the star, IKEA introduced veggie balls in 2015 for vegetarians, plant balls in 2020 for vegans, and even chicken-based ones.

The IKEA food experience isn't limited to meatballs alone — those are part of a much larger dining culture. The furniture store offers a variety of affordable, Nordic-inspired meals ranging from salmon dishes to almond tarts. You can also often purchase its famous Swedish meatballs frozen from the IKEA store and heat them at home, along with a range of other treats from chocolate bars to concentrated lingonberry syrup ready to join in your next beverage.

IKEA released the recipe for its famous beef and pork meatballs during the COVID-19 pandemic so that fans can whip up the classic Swedish staple right at home, including the delectable cream sauce. The sauce includes Dijon mustard, so choose a quality mustard like Maille. If you don't make one of these common mistakes when cooking ground beef, your meatballs will hopefully be as delicious as they are at IKEA.