Is Sweden's Fika Coffee Culture Why Its People Are So Happy?

I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that I’ve made my home base in the wrong place. Don’t get me wrong, I love LA, but Sweden is a whole different ball of wax. According to the World Happiness Report, the Nordic country has one of the highest happiness indexes in the world. Perhaps that’s because they’ve been at peace for over 200 years, staying out of war longer than the previous peace-keeping record holder, Switzerland. There’s also an incredibly educated — and totally lovely! — population (just look at that fierce Greta Thurnburg!), excellent education, oh, yeah, 16 months of parental leave. But some locals believe that one of the real keys to their happiness is, at least in part, due to fika, the Swedish ritual of what loosely translates to a coffee break.

If you’re into food culture, you’ve likely heard of the Danish concept of hygge, a convivial element of being out with friends, having a lovely time, ideally in some sort of cozy, beautifully designed space. It’s just as much of an activity as it is a feeling. Well, you mash all of that and add some great coffee into the mix, and you’ve got Swedish fika. There are always delicious treats like warm cardamom buns and smørrebrød on offer, and conversations linger over cozy pots of perfectly brewed coffee.

The Swedes really do love their fika. According to the International Coffee Organization, the Norse are actually the top coffee consumers in the world. In fact, there was a time when there was so much coffee being consumed in Sweden that it was enjoyed more than the local spirit, aquavit. The local farmers didn’t love that, nor did King Gustav III, who disapproved of its importation as a luxury good and didn’t think it was a healthy beverage. So he started heavily taxing it, fining citizens who consumed it, and even confiscated coffee cups and dishes. Thankfully those days are done, and fika is alive and well in Sweden today, especially in the West.

I went to the fika capital of Alingsås in Western Sweden to see what this was all about, and decided to make a video on the experience. What I found is that while there are always elements of coffee, delicious food and pastries, and most importantly mellow conversation -- either at home or in some of their incredibly cozy cafe. But what really took me is that fika truly is more of a feeling.

And spoiler alert: I'm totally into it! And no, it wasn’t just because the latte dads. Take a peek at the video below for a taste of this delightful Swedish tradition. And of course let me know what you think in the comments!

Craving more delicious brekkie and coffee from around the world? Check out my video on Melbourne’s coffee culture, right this way.