In September 021 Swedish Match announced plans to divest its remaining cigar business, which was suspended in March 2022. However, the tobacco company is credited with starting its smoke-free journey with its cigarette business when it was sold in 1999. In discussing the move, David Sweanor, a prominent tobacco control pioneer and adjunct Canadian law professor, stressed that the brand never got the credit it deserved for dabling in smoking cessation products, as no other company did at the time.
At the same time, the world's remaining major tobacco companies are trying to shift their business from being based on cigarette sales to one based on selling safer alternatives, given the rise in health awareness and the consequent decline in smoking rates. Recently, Jacek Olczak, the new CEO of Philip Morris International (PMI), reiterated the company's goal of going smoke-free within a decade.
In fact, PMI is currently in advanced talks with Swedish Match AB to discuss a deal worth about $15 billion and increase the tobacco giant's presence in the rapidly expanding smokeless products market. Swedish Match is currently worth about 117 billion Swedish kronor, or about $12 billion, while Philips Morris has a market value of about $154 billion.
Swedish Match's nicotine bag brand has launched a new tobacco flavor
In other news, Swedish match's nicotine bag brand Zyn has launched a new flavor, Tobacco Gold, which comes in medium (3mg) and strong (6mg) flavors. The company says it developed the product with consumers who would not consider a nicotine bag in mind because they prefer the taste of tobacco over other available flavor options.
Swedish Match says Tobacco Gold is the ideal product for those who want to protect against the health risks of Tobacco consumption while still ingesting nicotine. Darren Griffin, ZYN's country manager, said: "We are delighted to be the only major brand to offer tobacco-flavored nicotine bags as we have seen that this is the flavour users want most."