Special store

“Land of milk and honey” for those with a sweet tooth and cool boys

Exotic products that you don't get on every corner: In a confectionery store in Innsbruck, children's dreams come true thanks to lots of colorful tins and sinful treats.

Tortilla chips from Mexico, chocolate from France, chicken dishes from South Korea or various energy drinks from influencers, YouTube stars or wrestlers from the USA: at Patrick Foltermeier's "Candy Kingz" in Innsbruck's Ursulinenpassage, many youngsters would like to buy the whole sweet store empty, just like Pippi Longstocking once did.

The 34-year-old's range includes lots of colorfully packaged food and soft drinks that are rarely, if ever, available in this country. "I opened the store with a colleague three years ago. We were the very first to offer mainly special sweets from America and were ridiculed by many," recalls Foltermeier. But the business idea took off immediately.

From films and social networks to the shelf
Instead of having to buy the unusual products online with sometimes horrendous postage costs or having to drive miles to get them, many teenagers in particular are now storming the small store almost every day. "I'm particularly lucky that there are two schools in the immediate vicinity," emphasizes the Innsbruck native, who now runs the store on his own.

Like 11-year-old Remy, who is examining cans of drinks from YouTube star iCrimax during his visit to Krone, many teenagers and young adults see what their role models consume on various social media portals and in films. "I usually already have the items in the store when they ask for them," laughs Foltermeier, who also welcomes older customers to his "land of milk and honey" time and again. After all, you're never too old for different types of Fanta and cola from Asia, salty but chocolate-covered corn snacks from Norway or simply a cooling soft ice cream like the ones you know from Italy ...