Nicotine Pouch Technology - What’s New?

Nicotine pouches are a constantly evolving product. New flavors and brands are being released, and each brand's technology is leveling up, upgrading the nicotine pouch experience. Keeping up with new products and brands can be hard enough without the new technology incorporated into each one. Therefore, all the relevant upgrades have been gathered into this article, giving an idea of the landscape and what different brands are bringing to the table.

What is nicotine pouch technology?

Nicotine pouch technology refers to the design, materials, ingredients, or anything that affects the nicotine pouch experience. With such a wide range of characteristics affecting the experience, the possibility for innovation is almost endless. The types of changes and upgrades that occur can affect:

• Ingredients
• Materials
• Shape and Size
• Packaging
• Flavor sensations
• Nicotine and flavor releases

The list goes on. However, those mentioned above will be covered, and examples will be given of each, providing a more detailed review and insight into which brand has innovated what. It may even sway the nicotine pouch you choose next.

What is the need for nicotine pouch innovation?

Like everything that is made, there is always the need for better. It’s how the world works and is why nicotine pouches are continually developed. Each brand tries to outdo the other, grabbing the consumers' attention by doing so and highlighting the importance of product research and development. However, there are other reasons for innovation, including:

• Adhering to the changing regulatory landscape
• Meeting changing consumer preferences
• Enhancing the consumer’s experience
• Improve nicotine pouch safety and its effect

A brand can become stagnant if nothing new is created or released. With the increase in regulation and a spotlight on product safety, nicotine pouches are under constant scrutiny, highlighting a few reasons for their constant development.

The new nicotine pouch technology 2024

There have been many developments over the past 2 to 3 years in what different nicotine pouch brands provide regarding technology. Some of these are discussed below, including the ingredients, materials, pouch sizes, packaging, flavors, and nicotine release.

Synthetic nicotine

A benefit of nicotine pouches is that they are tobacco-free. Nicotine can be sourced in 2 different ways, as detailed in the synthetic nicotine article on the Snusdirect blog. One is deriving it from the tobacco leaf, and the other is creating it by performing specific chemical reactions on a nicotinic acid. There is an argument that synthetic nicotine is purer, but both are rigorously controlled to meet the standards of certain government bodies worldwide.

Synthetic nicotine has only seen the spotlight since the regulatory approval in 2022, but it has been around for much longer than that. Believe it or not, synthetic nicotine was created in 1904. Even with this early breakthrough, big brands like On! and ZYN don’t use synthetic nicotine - very few do.

However, we may see an increase in its use in nicotine pouches with time as the process becomes cheaper and regulations change.

Coconut plant fibers

Cellulose and Maltitol are common nicotine pouch fillers used for almost every brand. These ingredients are highly processed, and more natural alternatives are being used. COCO nicotine pouches believe natural is better and use coconut fibers to bulk their tobacco-free pouches. Yes, this does give a slightly darker tinge to the product, but it doesn’t take away from the experience. The same brand uses natural flavorings and organic palm oil to add to their more “natural” edge.

The maxi pouch size

When it comes to nicotine pouches, many pouch sizes are available, and the more popular are mini, slim, and large. One brand has a much larger range of sachet shapes than usual, providing more options to the user. That brand is Siberia All White nicotine pouches, and its different formats include super slim, ultra slim, long, maxi, as well as mini, slim, and original/large.

Each maxi product weighs 1.5 grams, roughly double a slim pouch!

Whether more brands adopt this format is another question, but this is a demonstration of how different brands can set themselves apart from others.

The PlantCan

Another aspect of the nicotine pouch experience is what is used to transport them. LOOP has created a more eco-friendly can called the PlantCan. What makes it different?

The PlantCan is made of bioplastic engineered from pine oil left over from the foresting industry. In turn, Another Snus Factory, LOOP’s manufacturer, makes use of other businesses' waste. Moreover, each is fully recyclable, reducing the environmental impact of nicotine pouch use.

Warming flavor sensations

Tasting experiences are one of the biggest facets of the nicotine pouch experience, other than format and nicotine strength. Recently, over the past year or two, a new type of flavor has become more prevalent - one with a warming sensation. Traditionally, those with a cooling minty sensation were a part of all users' rotations, but now some brands like VELO nicotine pouches are creating more with the opposite.

VELO Cinnamon Flame and VELO Lime Flame are the more popular products with a fiery finish.

This new advancement is allowing users to enjoy a new experience, bringing a breath of fresh air to their nicotine pouch use.

Pearls technology

VOLT nicotine pouches have developed a technology that affects the nicotine and flavor release, providing an even release and a longer-lasting experience. Pearls technology affects the contents within the sachet and the form they take.

Usually, the fillers are fibrous, but Pearls technology shapes them into small balls where the flavor and nicotine bind. In doing so, a steady release of nicotine and flavor is ensured, enabling the experience to last up to 1 hour.

What will the next nicotine pouch technology advancement be?

With nicotine pouches being so diverse, it is hard to guess what the next advancement in nicotine pouch technology would be. However, we can postulate what they may be and what may come next based on the market and what consumers look for in a nicotine pouch. Some ideas include:

1. More synthetic nicotine pouch brands are released, and those that use tobacco-derived nicotine have to switch due to changes in regulation.
2. A more effective and natural filler material is discovered, providing a smoother and steadier nicotine and flavor release, similar to the experience provided by its tobacco-containing sibling snus.
3. Fewer high-strength nicotine contents may be present due to restrictions, opening the door to the addition of other stimulatory substances to provide a similar sensation.
4. Every can of nicotine pouches may have to be made from eco-friendly materials, like LOOP’s PlantCan.

The ideas above are recreational and shouldn’t be taken for fact. However, each provides a base for your imagination to wonder where nicotine pouch technology may be in the next 5 years.