Understanding Nicotine Pouches
Nicotine pouches are gaining popularity due to their discreet nature and because they are perceived as a cleaner alternative to traditional nicotine products. If you are a vape shop owner or convenience stores looking to expand your product collection, or simply curious about a product surging in popularity, you have come to the right place. If you do not understand nicotine pouches right now, you certainly will by the end of this deep-dive.
Mi-Pod currently offers two nicotine pouch brands but will expand this whenever possible. These are independent products not manufactured by Big Tobacco and that compete directly with Zyn, On! and Velo, but offer superior margins.
Investors are bullish about the appeal of nicotine pouches, and efforts to treat them as harshly nicotine vapes have run into more partisan backlash than expected.
Juice Head is particularly confident in their fruit-forward nicotine pouches. Broken FDA regulations have cut-off adult vapers from their preferred flavor profiles, but it is inevitable that many will not accept total abstinence and prohibition. Especially when vaping has outperformed nicotine replacement therapy in so many studies.
FREQUENCY OF NICOTINE POUCH PURCHASES
Our current wholesale nicotine pouch customers have found that the average nicotine pouch user goes through five to ten pouches a day. As each can contains twenty pouches, this equates to a nicotine pouch can consumed every two to four days on average. The overlap between adult vapers and nicotine pouch users is likely to increase as more products in the flavors adults prefer are made available.
Consider for a moment how popular hard seltzers would be if only available in cinnamon and mint. As of 2024, FDA research shows that vape flavor bans have increased cigarette sales. Hopefully greater access to alternative products can cut this self-inflicted public health crisis off at the pass.
It is too much to ask the US government to embrace the cost-effective and humane policies like the UK's National Health Service has, they host a Vaping to Quit Smoking Website. But access to viable alternative nicotine products free from tobacco and not manufactured by the tobacco industry is a great start.
What is a Nicotine Pouch?
Nicotine pouches look like a paler colored snus pouch in appearance. They are designed to fit snugly between the user's lip and gum without the necessity for spitting.
Unlike snus, nicotine pouches contain no ingredients extracted from tobacco. They come in multiple nic strengths, with the potency varying by brand even if the actual pouches appear almost identical.
Advantages of Nicotine Pouches
There are four general use cases where nicotine pouches make sense for an adult who is already consuming nicotine. These are widely applicable, making wholesale nicotine pouches a worthy addition to your product line.
- Nicotine pouches appeal to adult nicotine users who are hoping to avoid exposure to the tar and carcinogens of combustible cigarettes, while still satisfying nicotine cravings.
- Chewing tobacco and snus users are switching to nicotine pouches because they contain no tobacco. Being made instead made from synthetic nicotine, nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco-specific carcinogens and also have no tobacco flavor.
- Adult vapers who are looking for a more discrete option that can be used in smoke free areas.
- Nicotine users who have decided to switch to an oral product that does not require inhalation.
Nicotine Pouch Advantages Over Vaping
Unlike vaping, nicotine pouches are not restricted by smoking bans and can be enjoyed in smoke-free areas, making them a convenient option for consumers. They have also not been ambushed by a decade of misinformation and bad federal policy that denies adults access to their preferred products.
Not relying on inhalation is a big deal. The CDC's botched investigation EVALI, a lung-condition traced entirely to black market cannabis carts, damaged the reputation of nicotine vaping even though the culprit adulterant (vitamin E acetate) was not found in any vape juice samples. Vitamin E acetate is completely incompatible with VG/PG style vape juices, a case of oil and water, but the CDC continues to conflate cannabis pens and nicotine vapes.
Between EVALI in fall 2019 and Covid, it is easy to see how a nicotine alternative that does not interface with the lungs would increase in popularity.
Nicotine Pouches versus Snus and Chewing Tobacco
A nicotine pouch looks a lot like a snus pouch. And it contains nicotine. Both are parked under the front lip and spitless. The big difference is that nicotine pouches do not contain any tobacco. This means no tobacco flavor and none of the tobacco-specific carcinogens found in snus. Tradition dip chewing tobacco and other pouch products are even further afield, as they require spitting or the use of a spittoon. And who has a spittoon in 2024?
The absence of tobacco is notable. Nicotine pouches are free from tobacco specific nitrosamines. A 2016 study conducted by the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry found both smoked and smokeless tobacco products contain tobacco specific nitrosamines.
The BMC Chemistry Journal conducted studies on two commercially available nicotine pouch products and compared them with regular smokeless tobacco and pharmaceutical grade nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products.
No nitrosamines were found in the nicotine pouch products or the NRT (lozenges and gums) that they tested. Overall, the number of harmful and potentially harmful constituents were similar between the nicotine pouch and nicotine replacement therapy products.
Who Makes Nicotine Pouches?
When dealing with product sold in a can that is the same size as a traditional chewing tobacco, it is natural to assume that nicotine pouches are also made by the tobacco industry.
The most popular brand is Phillip Morris International’s ZYN, the technology behind nicotine pouches is simple enough that trusted names in vaping like Juice Head also have excellent products with superior margins. If you are looking to become a nicotine pouch wholesale customer, there are several brands independent of Big Tobacco to choose from. The infographic below shows who makes which brand.
British American Tobacco’s VELO, Altria’s ON! and Swisher’s Rogue are the other major tobacco industry flavors. Lucy, Fre, ZImo, and Juice Head are few of the major independent competitors.
Nicotine Pouch Use
If you already sell nicotine pouches wholesale but do not personally use the product, the following information should be extremely useful.
Nicotine pouches are generally kept under the lip for up to 30 minutes. Zyn and Velo suggest keeping it in place for up to 45 minutes or even an hour. When the flavor is gone, that is claimed to correlate with the nicotine contained within also being absorbed.
NICOTINE POUCH PLACEMENT
After opening can, take one nicotine pouch and place it under your lip. Nicotine pouches are quite compact. Once flattened against your gum, or “parked”, they because unnoticeable whether you are talking or laughing. A nicotine pouch fits easily under the upper or lower lip.
While it varies by individual, you are likely absorbing less than half the nicotine in each pouch. And the majority is absorbed in the first ten minutes. How many you consume is obviously personal preference and customers should be advised to consume the minimum amount possible.
Independent Nicotine Pouch Brands
Mi-Pod currently carries two wholesale nicotine pouch brands. These are Zimo and Juice Head Pouches. Both are available in multiple flavors of the style that adult vapers prefer.
Juice Head offers slightly more adventurous flavor combinations, but Zimo executes their flavors extraordinarily well. In both cases, the lack of tobacco and tobacco flavor provides a unique experience quite different than Snus, let alone a plug of chewing tobacco.
Nicotine Pouch Flavors
Nicotine pouches come in a range of flavors. Juice Head is the first manufacturer with an entirely juice-forward flavor lineup. The more typical flavors are the typical mint, spearmint, peppermint, and occasional fruit offering. This is very similar to the profiles offered in chewing tobaccos, only in this case there is no tobacco flavor or tobacco flavor.
How Strong are Nicotine Pouches?
Nicotine pouches range widely in strength. The popular Zyn, manufactured by Phillip Morris International, is available in 3 and 6mg strengths. On! which is from Marlboro-maker Altria, come in 2, 4, and 8mg strengths. Juice Head pouches are available in 6 and 12mg strengths. Bridge currently has the strong pouches on the market at 15mg.
What is in a Nicotine Pouch?
Nicotine Pouches use synthetic nicotine salts and are also free from tobacco flavor. This makes them an ideal conduit for refreshing and palatable flavors. Juice Head was the first manufacturer to hit the market with a fruit-forward line of nicotine pouch flavors. Except more competition going forward.
Just like the vape market, the artificial fruit flavor profiles are consistently the most popular choice for adults. This applies for almost every consumable product, although mint, spearmint, cinnamon, and wintergreen style flavors are likely to remain best-sellers.
Nicotine Pouch Ingredients
There is not a huge variation in nicotine pouch ingredients. This information will be very useful for wholesale nicotine pouch purchasers, as it will allow you to educate your customers. Any time shelf-stable ingredients are examined, there are likely to be some foreign words present. This will demystify what is in a nicotine pouch, a fairly easy exercise as they are a rather simple product with widely used components.
Cellulose, Non-Tobacco Nicotine, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Alginate, Flavoring, Propylene Glycol, Vegetable Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Acesulfame Potassium, and Sucralose
CELLULOSE: Made from plant fibers, this is the material the pouch is made from and adds volume to the pouch. In many designs, cellulose granules are soaked in nicotine as a carrier. This adds the softness and mouthfeel which many users seek.
NICOTINE SALTS: Nicotine is an addictive chemical. This product is intended for adult vapers, smokers, and smokeless tobacco users. The nicotine in these pouches is synthetic, specifically Zero Nicotine Tobacco in the case of Juice Head Pouches.
The nicotine enters your bloodstream through the oral mucosa under your lip. Nicotine pouches use nicotine salt, which has a faster absorption rate according to some studies and a lower pH when compared to freebase nicotine that is derived from tobacco. Juice Head and most other brands are available in 6 and 12mg strength, a specificity not found on tobacco dips and snus.
SODIUM BICARBONATE: Also known as baking soda, sodium bicarbonate is a food grade product that is used to regulate pH in nicotine pouches. It also reduces stomach acid, which is a feature for a spitless product with the potential for swallowed nicotine. In the words of Phillip Morris International Science, “If the pH level is too neutral, then nicotine won’t transfer across the mucosa. Anything above 9.1 becomes too basic and can be an oral irritant, which is why existing industry standards set that upper limit. Sodium carbonate or bicarbonate is commonly used to regulate the pH.”
SODIUM ALGINATE: Another food additive classified as safe by the FDA, WHO, and FAO, sodium alginate is obtained from Atlantic Ocean Sea Weed (hence its name) and binds moisture. It is used in toothpaste, face masks and in nicotine replacement therapy products as well. It serves as a glidant and lubricant that reduces irritation.
FLAVORING: Nicotine pouches use artificial flavorings, much in the same manner as e-liquids. Globally, most popular flavorings with adults are of course fruit inspired. Juice Head launched the first line of fruit-forward nicotine pouches, taking advantage of the fact synthetic nicotine is free from the tobacco heavy notes found in snus and tobacco derived nicotine products.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL-VEGETABLE GLYCERIN: A pair of familiar names for vapers, these two ingredients enhanced user experience. Propylene glycol is colorless, odorless, slightly sweet, and non-toxic. In conjunction with vegetable glycerin (glycerol), these serve as stabilizers that maintain moisture levels, and maintain flavor consistency and distribution.
POTASSIUM SORBATE: Potassium sorbate is a common food preservative. It is found in many medicines as well and helps prevent yeast and mold growth. It is viewed as one of the safest additives found in cosmetics, foods, and pharmaceuticals. It is non-toxic.
ACESULFAME POTASSIUM: Acesulfame Potassium is a sweetener and flavor enhancer. It also enhances the smell of products. Approved in the EU and US, it is stable during thermal processing. Water soluble, it is 150 times sweeter than sugar but has somewhat bitter taste which is why it is often paired with other sweeteners.
SUCRALOSE: A high-intensity artificial sweetener, sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar. Sucralose is a general-purpose sweetener. It is heat stable, making it especially popular in baked goods. But it can be found in beverages, chewing gum, and frozen dairy desserts as well.