Nicotine pouches are increasing in popularity with adults who vape, smoke, and using chewing tobacco. They are free of any tobacco ingredients and incredibly easy to use. But tobacco-free does not always mean Big Tobacco free. It is no surprise that manufacturers who control convenience store shelf space with cigarettes and chewing tobacco although have an outsized influence on the synthetic nicotine pouch market.
Tobacco Industry Pouches
Many adults who use nicotine want to escape the clutches of the tobacco industry. There are great options that do not directly profit the tobacco industry if you are a nicotine pouch user. And you might be surprised by the quality of these products and the money you can save.
That independent manufacturers produce pouches that cost less and exceed Big Tobacco in quality should come as no surprise. Consider the quality of the tobacco industry's obsolete e-cigarettes versus what their independent vape industry rivals have turned out over the last ten years.
The mastery that producers like Zimo have shown when producing slim, flavorful and potent nicotine pouches is to be expected. It is just a matter of manufacturing prowess, top-shelf ingredients and proper formulaton.
The Best ZYN Alternative is ZIMO
The tobacco industry has several competing nicotine pouch products but there is a 75% chance you are a ZYN user. Here the six great pouch flavors that all ZYN users should consider.
We have found the flavor quality, slimness of the pouch, perceived absorption and generally refreshing mouthfeel makes Zimo one of the best nicotine pouch products on the market.
Why to Choose Zimo Over ZYN
There are some very compelling reasons to make the switch from ZYN to Zimo
- Zimo Cans Have 33% More Pouches. ZYN cans only hold 15 pouches. With most adult users going through a can every two to three days, the savings start to stack up immediately.
- Zimo Costs Less. This is easy to understand. Big Tobacco has a legacy of lobbying and has tremendous resources at their disposal. This is paid for by products like ZYN and it shows with their higher price point. Zimo costing less also helps resellers, as it is a product with better margins and is not as reliant on rebate tie-ins.
- Zimo Has a Steady Supply. Zimo is made on modern European nicotine pouch machinery. ZYN is also made in this manner by Swedish Match. The issue is that ZYN has run into huge issues and there is a ZYN shortage.
- ZYN has shipping issues for online orders. ZYN has been accused of violating the DC flavor ban and this has resulted in a halt on shipping in areas where their flavored products are permitted for shipment.
- Zimo has better flavors. Zimo is available in the classic oral nicotine flavors of Wintergreen, Mint and Cinnamon. For adult vapers being denied the flavors they prefer, Zimo is also available in a mango, grape and blueberry flavors.
- Zimo provides an outstanding user experience. Nicotine pouches are basic in appearance but there are important formulation compromises that can impact flavor, absorption, how long the product lasts, moisture, mouthfeel, and abrasiveness. Zimo has a juicy mouthfeel while remaining spitless and solid flavors that are not overwhelming. The product is designed to be left in for 30 minutes.
- Zimo is not made by Big Tobacco. Adult nicotine users are right to have mixed feelings about the tobacco industry. Apart from the unscrupulous marketing strategies they have been accused of in past decades, they are currently working hard to drive alternative products like vapes off the market to provide their obsolete cigalikes and combustible cigarettes a monopoly. The popularity of ZYN and Velo means they are not attempting to snuff out nicotine pouches but there is every reason to send your business elsewhere. Now let us look at Big Tobacco's nicotine pouch products.
ZYN POUCHES
Zyn nicotine pouches are made for the tobacco-industry giant Phillip Morris International by Swedish Match. Zyn is the most popular nicotine pouch product on the US market. As such, they get away with only have 15 pouches per can versus the usual 20. ZYN users speak in glowing terms about the absorption, although their top nicotine strength lags many rivals at only 8mg. They have scads of wintergreen and mint style flavors, but only one fruit adjacent flavor in citrus.
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 known as the ZYNSurrection.
As one of the original and best-selling nicotine pouch products, ZYN has been studied quite extensively. One such 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.
VELO NICOTINE POUCHES
Marketed as a tobacco-leaf free nicotine pouch, Velo is manufactured by BAT or British American Tobacco and their U.S. subsidiary is R.J. Reynolds. They are the largest tobacco company in the world based on net sales. The product was once known as LYFT pouches. The U.S. Version is sold in 10 flavors. The slim cans hold 15 pouches. There is also a full-size can that contains 20.
Velo is an interesting case. Conventional wisdom is that their EU product is comprehensively superior to the U.S. version, superior in fact to ZYN. There is no doubt that their roles are reversed here. Velo is a best-seller in Europe but has been crushed by ZYN and is falling behind On! when it comes to market share.
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, there can at least contains 20 pouches rather than 15.
ROGUE NICOTINE POUCHES
Rogue Nicotine On Demand, or Rogue Nicotine Pouches, are made by the international tobacco company Swisher. Swisher may not appear to be as big of a player as R.J. Reynolds or Philip Morris but they sell TWO BILLION cigars and cigarillos annually.
Rogue is a polarizing brand for many users. They have ten flavors. The nicotine strength options are 3 and 6mg. They also sell nicotine lozenges, which are private labelled from Avema Pharma Solutions.
Interestingly for a company that makes Swisher Sweets and flavored tobaccos, Rogue does not have an overly aggressive collection of flavors.
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 clearly targeting ZYN's wide collection in that flavor space. Citrus and a fake-tobacco flavor round out their choices.