kolonialvara

Compound of kolonial (“colonial”) +‎ vara (“goods; item”). First attested in 1801^[1]. Cognate of German Kolonialwaren.

kolonialvara c

1. (historical) colonial goods, colonial produce (goods from tropical or subtropical countries, such as coffee or cocoa) ^[1]
   • 2011 August 15, Åsa Olovsson, “Gröna fingrar vårdar Thörnska gården [Green fingers tend to Thörnska Gården]”, in Blekinge Läns Tidning‎:

     Denne började som springpojke i firma Leopold Thörn, därav namnet Thörnska gården. Och firman handlade med kolonialvaror, kol och ved.

     He started as a messenger boy at the Leopold Thörn company, hence the name The Thörn Estate. The company dealt in colonial goods, coal, and firewood.

   • 2024 June 14, “Globala möten: kolonialvaror och europeisk konsumtionskultur, ca 1740-1820 [Global meetings: colonial goods and European consumer culture, circa 1740-1820]”, in Uppsala Universitet:

     Hur uppfattade europeerna kolonialvarornas intåg under en period präglad av ekonomisk och social förändring (1740-1820)? Snarare än den ofta upprepade bilden av kaffe- och tedrickande och frasande sidenkläder ska vi belysa en mer komplex historia om hur kolonialvarorna påverkade konsumtionskulturen i olika delar av Europa.

     How did Europeans perceive the arrival of colonial goods during a period marked by economic and social change (1740-1820)? Rather than the often-repeated image of coffee and tea drinking and rustling silk garments, we will illuminate a more complex history of how colonial goods influenced consumer culture in various parts of Europe.

2. (retail, by extention) dry goods; a product for sale (at a grocery) that can be transported and stored without special storage treatment (such as coffee, cocoa, pasta, flour, shampoo, or detergent)
   • 2013 April 24, Mikael Kulle, “Coop drabbas hårdast av transportstrejk [Coop hit hardest by transport strike]”, in Ekot, Sveriges Radio:

     I Göteborg uteblir leveranser av kolonialvaror till ett 30-tal av Coops mindre butiker. De sju större Coop-varuhusen i regionen drabbas inte.

     In Gothenburg, deliveries of dry goods to around thirty of Coop's smaller stores are missing. The seven larger Coop supermarkets in the region are not affected.

   • 2023 March 15, Mathem, “Mathem skänker 36 ton mat till Matmissionen [Mathem donates 36 tonnes of food to The Food Mission.]”, in My Newsdesk - Mathem (press release):

     De donerade pallarna bestod av 67 procent kolonialvaror (240 pall), 19 procent kylvaror (70 pall) och 14 procent frysvaror (50 pall).

     The donated pallets consisted of 67 percent dry goods (240 pallets), 19 percent chilled goods (70 pallets), and 14 percent frozen goods (50 pallets).

   • 2023 May 19, Monika Nilsson Lysell, “Tomt i butikens hyllor efter Dagabs problem: ”Det absolut värsta jag varit med om” [Empty shelves in the store after Dagab's issues: "The absolute worst I've experienced"]”, in Dagligvarunytt:

     Leveranser av kolonialvaror har uteblivit helt för vissa butiker efter intrimmningsproblemen i Dagabs logistikcenter i Bålsta. ”Det är total katastrof”, rapporterar en butik. ”Jag känner en oro över att det tar sån tid”, säger en annan.

     Deliveries of dry goods have completely failed for some stores following the adjustment problems at Dagab's logistics centre in Bålsta. "It's a total disaster," reports one store. "I'm worried that it's taking so long," says another.

Mostly plural.

(dry goods of a grocery):

• speceri (“dry foodstuff”)
  • kaffe (“coffee”)
  • kakao (“cocoa”)
  • mjöl (“flour”)
  • pasta (“pasta”)
  • dryck (“beverage”)
    • cider (“cider”)
    • läsk (“soft drink”)
    • öl (“beer”)
  • konfektyr (“confection”)
    • choklad (“chocolate”)
    • lösgodis (“pick 'n' mix”)
    • tuggummi (“chewing gum”)
• finkemvara (“fine chemical product”)
  • balsam (“conditioner”)
  • schampo (“shampoo”)
  • tvål (“soap”)
• grovkemvara (“heavy-duty chemical product”)
  • diskmedel (“washing-up liquid”)
  • tvättmedel (“laundry detergent”)

• frysvara (“frozen goods”)
• färskvara (“fresh goods”)
• kylvara (“chilled goods”)

• kolonialavdelning (“dry goods section”)

• kolonialvara in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• kolonialvara in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)