Who Makes Each Brand of Nicotine Pouch?
Who Makes Each Brand of Nicotine Pouch?
Nicotine pouches are increasing in popularity with adults who vape, smoke, and using chewing tobacco. They do not include any tobacco ingredients, which is a huge advantage. But behind rather anodyne names like Zyn and Velo, you will find a few familiar faces.
But if you are looking for an alternative not manufactured by Big Tobacco, there are plenty of options as well.
Nicotine Pouch Resource Pages
For more information on nicotine pouches, we have created the following resource articles.
- Top Nicotine Pouches 2024
- What is in a Nicotine Pouch?
- How to Use Nicotine Pouches
- Nicotine Pouches versus Snus and Chewing Tobacco
- Advantages of Nicotine Pouches Over Vaping
- Shop All Nicotine Pouches
Tobacco Industry Pouches
The tobacco industry has several competing nicotine pouch products. As they control shelf space in convenience stores and have the widest distribution net, these are currently the best known products. Although the use tobacco leaf-free nicotine, they are sold next to their traditional offerings of chewing tobacco, and combustible tobacco products.
Zyn Pouches
Zyn nicotine pouches are made by the tobacco-industry giant Phillip Morris International. Zyn is the best known nicotine pouch product on the US market. As such, they get away with only have 15 pouches per can versus the usual 20. Check out our deep-dive for more information on the best nicotine pouch brands for the ZYN shortage.
Efforts by an aging Democratic Senator to ban nicotine pouches for no discernible reason led to a political firestorm in January 2024. There are a total of ten Zyn flavors. They will look pretty familiar to a fan of vaping, as these are the flavor profiles that most adults prefer over tobacco, both fake in e-liquid and real in chewing tobacco.
Zyn Nicotine Pouches are made by Phillip Morris International. As one of the original products in this class, a study found synthetic nicotine pouches do not contain the harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) that are present in snus and chewing tobacco.
Just as importantly, nicotine pouches did not have markedly higher HPHCs than the nicotine replacement therapy products sold by the pharmaceutical industry. Zyn Nicotine Pouches come in 3 and 6mg strength.
On! Nicotine Pouches
On! Nicotine products are manufactured by Marlboro maker Altria. Their tobacco leaf free nicotine pouches are sold in 2, 4 and 8mg. Available in a selection of flavors.
Anyone who has used nicotine replacement therapy products will immediately notice the availability of an 8mg strength. Most lozenges and gums top-off at 4mg, while rival nicotine pouches made by Big Tobacco are currently limited to 3 and 6mg strengths.
Rogue Nicotine Pouches
Rogue Nicotine On Demand, or Rogue Nicotine Pouches, are made by the international tobacco company Swisher. Swisher is best known for the TWO BILLION cigars and cigarillos they sell annually. Rogue is perhaps the most polarizing brand for user experience. They sell a ton of flavors. They have big nicotine strengths. But some people feel the product is, how to put this politely, a hit harsh.
Interestingly for a company that makes Swisher Sweets and flavored tobaccos, Rogue does not have an overly aggressive collection of flavors. They all hew close to the old tobacco pouch flavors, with the exception of the Mango Rogue. They also come in just two strengths: 3 and 6mg.
Velo Nicotine Pouches
Marketed as a tobacco-leaf free nicotine pouch, Velo is manufactured by BAT or British American Tobacco. Interestingly, they are much more popular in Europe and people who have tried pouches in both markets insist the EU version is comprehensively superior.
BAT's major American subsidiary is R.J. Reynolds. This is the largest tobacco company in the world based on net sales. The Velo brand appears as a sponsor on the McLaren Formula 1 car and on an Indy Car McLaren as well. Vuse, another R.J. Reynolds subsidiary, is another racing sponsor.
They have been accused of rather more controversial acts than this, but that is well beyond the scope of this company overview.
Zone Nicotine Pouches
Made by Imperial Tobacco, Zone Nicotine Pouches are found at convenience stores. They are sold in 6mg and 9mg nicotine strength. They have a tropical fruit flavor in dragon fruit but do not have a classic cinnamon, which is an oral nicotine best-seller. With no fewer than four derivations of menthol and mint, they are pretty clearly targeting ZYN's wide collection in that flavor space. Citrus and a fake-tobacco flavor made in the a tobacco-free nicotine pouch product round out their lineup.
Independent Nicotine Pouch Manufacturers
There are of course many vapers and pouch users who are looking to not give any more money to the tobacco industry. Or simply want a wider range of innovative products to choose from. Luckily, there is a vibrant independent nicotine pouch industry with unique and high-quality products.
ZIMO Pouches
The most well-rounded of the independent nic pouches, Zimo comes in three fruit inspired flavors and three traditional tobacco-pouch style flavors. The Zimo Nicotine Pouch collection also features two nicotine strengths: 6 and 8mg.
The word most typically associated with Zimo is juicy, as they have done a great job of balancing flavor and the pH regulating elements that govern absorption and satisfaction. With a major ZYN shortage rocking this booming industry, Zimo is the Best Zyn Alternative currently available. It has the added advantage of being free of both tobacco ingredients and tobacco-industry influence.
Juice Head Pouches
In April 2022, Juice Head launched the first truly fruit forward line-up of tobacco-leaf free nicotine pouches. The Juice Head Pouches Collection are made with Zero-Tobacco Nicotine. Juice Head is owned by Streamline Group, one of the biggest names in alternative products. Neither Streamline of Juice Head is an affiliate or part of a tobacco-industry conglomerate.
Juice Head is an industry-leading brand known for its best-in-class production standards and customer-favorite fruit-flavored nicotine products including Juice Head E-Liquids, and Juice Head Salts. They are based in Huntington Beach, California. Juice Head uses a longer acting pouch and come in 6 and 12mg strength.
- Blueberry Lemon Mint
- Watermelon Strawberry Mint
- Mango Strawberry Mint
- Peach Pineapple Mint
- Raspberry Lemonade Mint
Sesh Nicotine Pouches
Sesh is available in a great mint, mango and wintergreen flavor. They also have a clear flavor that is not as loaded with characterizing notes. They are a solid product, notable for excellent absorption and bold flavor. The Sesh nicotine pouch collection has something for most adult oral nicotine users.
Lucy Nicotine Pouches
Lucy Nicotine Pouches come in six flavors. They are an indepedent manufacturer and not currently owned by a tobacco industry giant.
They are sold in 4, 8 and 12mg nicotine strengths. Lucy also makes nicotine lozenges, gums, and breakers. Breakers contain a capsule that will flood your mouth with flavor and hydration when broken open.
In January 2024, Lucy announced a publication of a peer-reviewed behavioral study on non-medicinal nicotine gum. "The fact that LUCY appeals to people who smoke, regardless of their intent to quit smoking, highlights the potential of LUCY to reach more adult tobacco users than medicinal NRT products, and to facilitate their transition to less harmful alternatives," said David Renteln, CEO at Lucy Goods.
Bridge Nicotine Pouches
Bridge Nicotine Pouches come in three strengths. There is the 4mg Slim Jane's, 10mg Fat Jack's, and a 15mg Big Bertha's. The come in four flavors, including a flavor free Original. The other flavors are Cool Mint, Wintermint, and Spearmint.
FRĒ Nicotine Pouches
FRĒ Nicotine Pouches come in 9, 12 and 15mg strength, with 20 pouches to the pack. The also sell a mega-tin with 100 pouches. Pronounced free, in honor of their tobacco-free status presumably, there are four flavors available: FRĒ Lush, FRĒ Sweet, FRĒ Mint, and FRĒ Wintergreen. Lush is inspired by sweet tropical fruits. FRĒ Sweet is interestingly free of flavor and aromas. Wintergreen and Mint are of course self-explanatory, as every brand offers some version of these two flavors. Fre is an independent manufacturer based in Kentucky.
