About ZYN Pouches
ZYN nicotine pouches launched in the US in 2014, but you could say the idea behind them stretches all the way back to the 1800s. At this time, some entrepreneurial Swedes invented "snus," which was their own variant of snuff (tobacco leaves mixed with water and salt), designed to be parked under your top lip where the nicotine could then be absorbed in a hands-free, smoke-free way.
The biggest leap forward in terms of snus came decades later in the 1970s, with the introduction of soft pouches or "portions." These were adopted as a way to contain the loose tobacco and quickly became an industry standard.
Fast forward 30 years to the early 2000s, and the next big innovation arrives as manufacturers start to move away from traditional tobacco and use nicotine derived from the tobacco plant instead. In doing so, they were able to achieve the same nicotine effect, minus the tobacco.
Swedish Match was one of the companies to jump on this idea early on and started producing their own range of nicotine pouches. ZYN now accounts for more than 60% of the US market share when it comes to tobacco leaf-free nicotine products and the latest figures point to more than 380 million cans shipped in Q4, 2023.
Who owns ZYN?
ZYN is a popular brand of nicotine pouches owned by Swedish Match, which is part of Philip Morris International. Swedish Match manages the ZYN brand, while Philip Morris International oversees its global operations and distribution.
Historically, Swedish Match was made up of two companies: Svenska Tobaksmonopolet and Svenska Tändsticks Aktiebolaget. The first held a state monopoly over all tobacco sales in Sweden and, the second, specialized in making matches, before they officially joined forces in 1915. They remain a big contributor in terms of Sweden's economic growth and cultural identity today.
While Swedish Match continue to produce popular snus (tobacco) brands, such as General, this is a declining category and nicotine pouches are clearly the future. We see this shift reflected in PMI's investments and acquisitions as well – once famous for their Marlboro cigarettes, but these days committed to a new smoke-free mission.
Where is ZYN manufactured?
ZYN nicotine pouches are produced at the Swedish Match factory in Owensboro, Kentucky in the US as well as two manufacturing facilities in Tidaholm and Vetlanda in Sweden.
Check out our ZYN fundamentals and other FAQs here.
ZYN in the US
By now, it seems the brand has pretty much become synonymous with the category in the US – instead of asking for a nicotine pouch, people are asking for a ZYN.
The recent surge in popularity could be explained by a growing awareness of ZYN’s benefits (hands-free, smoke-free, tobacco leaf-free nicotine) or a general curiosity to try them as a smoking/vaping alternative.
Flavor-wise, ZYN offers:
- Five different mints (including Wintergreen, Spearmint, Cool Mint, Peppermint and Menthol);
- Some signature blends (Coffee, Cinnamon and Citrus);
- Two unflavored varieties (Chill and Smooth).
Sharp-eyed shoppers may notice a difference between the US and the European ZYN flavor range.
All products are subject to FDA testing and can be purchased in 3mg or 6mg strengths – with some exclusive ZYN Variety Packs available through Nicokick if you're unsure which flavor is for you.
Inside each can of ZYN you'll find 15 individual pouches containing nicotine salt, stabilizers, fillers, pH adjusters and sweeteners. Find out more about ZYN ingredients here.