Why did BAT kill the EPOK brand for LYFT?

All White tobacco and all white nicotine products have been around for some time.  Early examples go back to 1999 with the introduction of Nicorette.

Later offerings of all white pouch products were more niche products than anything else.  The SnusCentral.com Snus Shop stopped carrying tobacco and nicotine free products in 2012 due to lack of consumer interest.

That all changed in a few years ago thanks to a company called Winnington AB of Sweden.  The were founded in 2008 and produced two primary brands; first KickUp and more recently Epok.  Both are variations of All White snus.

A few years ago, the planets all came into alignment for Epok.  Suddenly it was one of the hottest selling brands on the market, some flavors consistently placing in the top five volume sellers of all snus product, traditional snus included.

In 2018, the snus industry noticed when BAT bought Winnington AB lock, stock, and white tobacco.  Everyone was again shocked when BAT announced they phasing out Epok in favor of something called Lyft.

EPOK versus  LYFT

A major reason for the rise of nicotine pod products is legal; not taste.  A great example of this was BAT’s discontinuing the popular EPOK All White portion brand in favor of LYFT.

EPOK and LYFT both taste virtually identical, use the same cans, product names, can graphics, colors and fonts.  The only real difference is in the all white filler.  Both convert plant fibers to a tasteless white talcum powder-like substance.  Both have nicotine and flavorings added back in to complete the process.

The differences is that EPOK includes tobacco fibers where LYFT does not.  From a snus user perspective, it doesn’t change the experience at all.  From a legal and governmental perspective, it makes a huge difference, especially in Norway.

Nicotine pouches or pods are illegal in Norway; tobacco pouches like snus are not.  Next to Sweden, Norway ranks as the second largest consumer of Swedish snus.  BAT does want to lose their marketing ability in Norway.

As BAT uses the window in legislation for nicotine pouches to market their products, the two trademarks cannot be associated with one another.  EPOK will live on in Norway but just in stores in Norway.

In other markets around the world, nicotine pouches have advantages over oral tobacco products.

As the tobacco tax is lower for LYFT, BAT wouldn’t want EPOK to be available in other markets.  The savings in wholesale tobacco taxes with LYFT means higher profit margins for BAT.

World-wide, the lack 0f tobacco in nicotine pouches sidesteps some of the onerous governmental restrictions and labeling requirements, depending on the country.

Swedish Match, ZYN and G.4

BAT is not alone in recognizing this.  Swedish Match, for example, has two all white portion brands:  G.4 and ZYN. G.4 has a small amount of washed tobacco where ZYN does not.  G.4 and ZYN are produced under different patents as well as trademarks, but essentially it is analogous to BAT’s EKOK/LYFT plan.

There is a twist; Swedish Match doesn’t restrict the sale of G.4 products to only Norway like BAT does with EPOK but ZYN sales are tightly restricted to specific markets.

In the USA, Swedish Match North America markets ZYN as an over-the-counter product only as of this date.  Snus eStores like the legendary SnusCentral.com shop can not sell ZYN via the internet to US customers currently….but can sell them to their customers in Switzerland.

The downside of nicotine pods versus especially Swedish tobacco snus is taste.  There is no tobacco taste in nicotine pouches.  In most cases, the flavors are pretty one dimensional and lack the complexity of different tobacco mixes combined with delicate flavoring matches like tobacco-based snus has.

Some new entries into the nicotine pouch market are challenging this statement, though.  G.4 and ZYN with their Strong Blood Orange with Ginger new releases and Skruf Cassice white portions come immediately to mind.  Still no tobacco taste, but the flavors are unique and very good.

Nicotine is the great equalizer here.  As an extremely highly addictive chemical, it will triumph over taste buds.  Cigarettes taste disgusting compared to snus, cigars of pipe tobacco…yet how many of us, myself included, came to love the taste and smell of cigarette smoke pretty quickly?  It’s because of the nicotine which is also the reason cigarettes are so hard to quit.

Nicotine Pouch products will appeal some, especially new users trying to quit cigarettes as they don’t have the word “tobacco” in it.  For a few reasons including a much less burn sensation, they will also appeal to current snus users too for variety.

As nicotine pouches don’t exactly fall under the EU Snus Ban or individual countries which ban snus or tobacco internet sales, they will certainly appeal to everyone looking for a product to satisfy their nicotine cravings which is also about as harmful as a cup of caffeinated coffee.

Until nicotine pouch sales grow to a point where they overshadow vapor and e-cigarettes on the radar of government regulators and and so-called health officials, enjoy them while you can!

Vänliga hälsningar/Best regards/Med venlig hilsen,

LARRY WATERS
FORMER Smoker; CURRENT Swedish Snus (and Nicotine Pouch) User
Reporting for SnusCENTRAL.org