Where in the World Are Nicotine Pouches Manufactured?

We live in a globalised world, with many smartphones designed in Silicon Valley, manufactured in China, and assembled in Southeast Asia. But where in the world are nicotine pouches manufactured?

While Sweden has always been the home of most manufacturing, the increased popularity of nicotine pouches worldwide means production has expanded further. Let’s take a tour across the world to see which other countries are responsible for making the best nicotine pouches.

Swedish Nicotine Pouches

The history of nicotine pouches traces back to Sweden. Before nicotine pouches existed, there was snus: a formulation of tobacco and other flavours that Swedes have consumed since the early eighteenth century.

However, snus had a few disadvantages, such as staining the teeth and causing bad breath. Nicotine pouches emerged as an alternative — unlike snus, they’re tobacco-free, making them a better choice for oral hygiene.

Since snus was primarily produced and consumed in Sweden, it stands to reason that the first producers and consumers of nicotine pouches would also be Swedish.

Nicotine pouches have recently experienced a surge in global demand — in 2023, the US was the biggest nicotine pouches consumer in the world (followed by Sweden, Denmark, Pakistan, and Austria).

But despite consumption spreading across the continents, most manufacturing still happens in Sweden, and the label “made in Sweden” has come to be synonymous with “quality.”

Swedish nicotine pouch brands

Pick a nicotine pouch at random, and chances are that it was made in Sweden.

For instance, Swedish company Winnington AB was the original manufacturer of the market-leading nicotine pouch brand VELO. While British American Tobacco (BAT) is VELO’s new owner and VELO now has multiple factories, it continues to base its operations in the Nordic nation.

Some other popular nicotine pouch brands that carry out their manufacturing in Sweden include:

• Swave (made in the Island of Gotland)
• White Fox
• Skruf
• Loop
• HIT
• VALØ

Finland

As Sweden’s neighbour, it’s unsurprising that nicotine pouch production and consumption spread to Finland.

The “Land of a Thousand Lakes” is home to the nicotine pouch brand Puff and Pouch, a family business based in Helsinki. Puff and Pouch emphasises production standards and premium materials, proving that “Finnish quality” is in no way inferior to “Swedish quality” when it comes to nicotine pouch brands.

Denmark

Fellow Scandinavian country Denmark is the third-largest market for nicotine pouch consumption, and it’s also home to a few nicotine pouch manufacturers.

One of them is the Ministry of Snus, which produces the popular Ace nicotine pouches. Denmark has a reputation for being a forward-thinking country, so it’s a fitting home for the quirky manufacturer. Ministry of Snus was founded on the principles of providing “one ministry for all” and giving a voice to its customers to ensure it provides a product people want.

Another Danish brand is WAKEY, which produces nicotine-free pouches that contain caffeine, therefore giving users an energy boost. While WAKEY isn’t technically a nicotine pouch manufacturer, its nicotine-free approach proves that countries outside of Sweden are now at the forefront of innovation.

Poland

While most nicotine pouch brands come from Nordic countries, there are exceptions. For instance, 77 nicotine pouches (77 is a brand name, not a number) are made in Poland.

77 pouches are manufactured at the Tobacco Concept Factory, which has existing experience in oral tobacco products. The brand applies Swedish quality standards to ensure its production is top-notch.

77 is pushing the boundaries with its innovative products and deserves to be known for more than just being a nicotine pouch brand that manufactures its products outside of Scandinavia. Its pouches offer completely invisible usage, and they come in a vast array of flavours, from 77 Cola & Vanilla to 77 Black Currant.

Estonia

Estonia has a tiny population of just over one million, making it the smallest nation on this list. But that hasn’t stopped it from making its mark on the world of nicotine pouches!

Showing that the Baltic nations can also do nicotine pouches well as the Nordics is the Estonian brand NOIS. The company’s manufacturer, HRJ Production OÜ, is based in Tallinn and follows strict quality control standards. Its delicious taste profiles demonstrate this firsthand, with both fruity and mint flavours on offer.

USA

Nicotine pouches might be a relatively new phenomenon in the US, but that hasn’t stopped the country from catching up fast.

ZYN nicotine pouches are hugely popular in the US, selling 350 million products in 2023. Although ZYN was originally made by Swedish Match in Sweden, its surge in popularity across the Atlantic has made it efficient for ZYN to carry out some of its production in the US.

ZYN has opened a factory in Kentucky to make nicotine pouches for the US market (although ZYN still carries out production in Sweden too).

Sample the World

At their heart, nicotine pouches are a Swedish product, and the majority of products are still made in Sweden or its Nordic neighbours.

But whether you want to follow tradition by sticking to Swedish nicotine pouches or experiment with products made in other countries, there’s never been more choice.