Mac Baren’s Investment in SNUS

[Mike N]

After listening to Per Jensen’s interview on the Greywoodie podcast about Mac Baren’s business decisions after the death of its leader HH that ultimately led to its sale to STG, I found this company announcement 2 years ago. The competition in the SNUS market includes large multi-national companies like BAT.

Kick-off in Sweden | Mac Baren Tobacco Company

Mac Baren Tobacco is pleased to announce an agreement to acquire the outstanding brands
from Planta Tabak-Manufactur’s traditional portfolio.

mac-baren.com

The company Mac Barren opened in Sweden in October 2022 was ingeniously called “Ministry of SNUS.” These nicotine conveyance pouches are banned throughout much of the EU, but are a tradition of sorts in Sweden and apparently permitted to be made there and sold to customers around the world indifferent to gum disease. What a wise and benevolent business move.

 

[Mike N]

Here is a post on Linked In by the CEO of Mac Baren from 2017 to November 2024 (I added the bolding):

Simon Sophus Nielsen
Chairman of the Board at Nordic Sense A/S
1mo

Moving On… As of 15th November, I have stepped down as CEO of Mac Baren Tobacco Company & Ministry of Snus, marking the end of a chapter spanning almost 25 years in various roles. Following Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s acquisition on 1st July, the integration planning phase has been successfully completed, and the time has come for me to pass the torch. Looking back, it has been an incredible privilege to be part of Mac Baren’s transformation into a globally recognized company. Over the years, we expanded our position in key markets, built a strong and diverse portfolio through the acquisition of Sutliff Tobacco in the U.S., grew Mac Baren’s RYO portfolio with an acquired segment of Imperial Brands’ portfolio, we developed the Ministry of Snus division and brands from the ground up, and established top-tier sales and distribution entities in Sweden and Germany.

 

[eyjaygaming]

Just to be fair... Mac Baren has in its history produced cigars, snuff, chew, cigarillos, cigarettes, cigar fillers etc. They even were for many years the distribution for Marlboro cigarettes in Denmark.

Snus was their attempt to compensate the rapid volume decline in pipe tobacco - the decision to start Ministry of Snus was made by Henrik Halberg himself, the creator of the HH line of pipe tobaccos.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Most pipe tobacco brands are involved with chewing tobacco, cigarettes, or cigars. Specializing in a given market is financial suicide.

 

[anotherbob]

These nicotine conveyance pouches are banned throughout much of the EU, but are a tradition of sorts in Sweden and apparently permitted to be made there and sold to customers around the world indifferent to gum disease. What a wise and benevolent business move.

Snus is about as safe as tobacco can get.

 

[lazar]

Snus is about as safe as tobacco can get.

I'd say nasal snuff is safer, no?

 

[Brad H]

I'd say nasal snuff is safer, no?

No.
Snus is about as safe as a tobacco product can be.
I’ve actually read that study somewhere a while back.
Although snuff isn’t great for you, it’s not getting into your lungs.
I used to have about 30 different brands of snuff.

 

[Strange Quark]

Per Jensen in his interview by Italian piper Apple Pipe exhibited some disdain for this snus venture. I took it that may have contributed to Mac Baren's losses.

 

[buroak]

Per Jensen in his interview by Italian piper Apple Pipe exhibited some disdain for this snus venture. I took it that may have contributed to Mac Baren's losses.

Yeah, the snus field was already crowded with good established brands and edgy upstarts putting out snus so high in nicotine it was really only usable by megafauna. What Mac Baren hoped to achieve is hard to see.

Snus really is the safest form of tobacco. It seems about the only risk is a slightly greater chance of developing pancreatic cancer, and the connection to using snus doesn’t appear to be well established.

Of course, we now have the nicotine pouches with no tobacco at all. I prefer to taste tobacco.

 

[anotherbob]

I'd say nasal snuff is safer, no?

a bit.

 

[zercules]

Snus really is the safest form of tobacco. It seems about the only risk is a slightly greater chance of developing pancreatic cancer, and the connection to using snus doesn’t appear to be well established.

I am pretty sure that stuff ruins your gums due to the constant contact.

I hate these newfangled ways to get people hyper-addicted to nicotine. The convenience factor alone, if not the fact it’s pure concentrated nicotine, makes these things more addictive than cigarettes. The only “safe” ways to use tobacco are by smoking pipes and cigars and I’ll happily die on that hill.

 

[Zamora]

Most pipe tobacco brands are involved with chewing tobacco, cigarettes, or cigars. Specializing in a given market is financial suicide.

Yep even Laudisi recently bought Caldwell Cigars, it's an ultra boutique brand but I'm sure they'll acquire more especially since there's tons of cigar brands eager to expand their reach

 

[Zamora]

Yeah, the snus field was already crowded with good established brands and edgy upstarts putting out snus so high in nicotine it was really only usable by megafauna. What Mac Baren hoped to achieve is hard to see.

Snus really is the safest form of tobacco. It seems about the only risk is a slightly greater chance of developing pancreatic cancer, and the connection to using snus doesn’t appear to be well established.

Of course, we now have the nicotine pouches with no tobacco at all. I prefer to taste tobacco.

I have a hunch Philip Morris / Altria lobbied for the EU to ban it. RJ Reynolds on the other hand does produce snus under Camel, it's the only brand I've seen in the US

 

[karam]

Of course, we now have the nicotine pouches with no tobacco at all. I prefer to taste tobacco.

I find the taste of snus disgusting, much prefer the nicotine pouches, especially the unflavoured ones.

 

[Brad H]

Well, there is always vaping.
Great nicotine delivery system.
Convient one puff and done. No lighting required.

Outlawed in many states, but online companies deliver it right to your door. That will teach those pesky law makers.
Only thing they accomplished was lose out on tax revenue for their states.

 

[buroak]

I have a hunch Philip Morris / Altria lobbied for the EU to ban it. RJ Reynolds on the other hand does produce snus under Camel, it's the only brand I've seen in the US

I wouldn’t be surprised, but it would likely have been a broader conspiracy. The Camel snus is horrible. I liked the salt and bergamot snus flavors. Göteborg Rapé has sublime flavor from juniper berries, but an unfortunate name for those of us in English-speaking markets.

 

[buroak]

I find the taste of snus disgusting, much prefer the nicotine pouches, especially the unflavoured ones.

Reasonable people can disagree.

I am pretty sure that stuff ruins your gums due to the constant contact.

I hate these newfangled ways to get people hyper-addicted to nicotine. The convenience factor alone, if not the fact it’s pure concentrated nicotine, makes these things more addictive than cigarettes. The only “safe” ways to use tobacco are by smoking pipes and cigars and I’ll happily die on that hill.

I’ve been putting pouches and loose snus betwixt cheek and (upper) gum for years. My dentist has not noted any problems for my gums. I only switched to mainly using nicotine pouches to placate milady.

 

[buroak]

Well, there is always vaping.
Great nicotine delivery system.
Convient one puff and done. No lighting required.

Outlawed in many states, but online companies deliver it right to your door. That will teach those pesky law makers.
Only thing they accomplished was lose out on tax revenue for their states.

I can’t agree with you there. Too much mystery vape liquid.

Also, the e-waste is appalling. In cities, I have seen single-use vapes replace cigarette butts in gutters. That is not a good trade.

 

[zercules]

I’ve been putting pouches and loose snus betwixt cheek and (upper) gum for years. My dentist has not noted any problems for my gums. I only switched to mainly using nicotine pouches to placate milady.

Glad all is well and your gums are healthy

 

[Zamora]

I wouldn’t be surprised, but it would likely have been a broader conspiracy. The Camel snus is horrible. I liked the salt and bergamot snus flavors. Göteborg Rapé has sublime flavor from juniper berries, but an unfortunate name for those of us in English-speaking markets.

Oh yeah I think if there is a conspiracy it would go deeper. Shifting from cigarettes to snus would be of massive public health benefits because there's no second hand smoke, offensive odors, or residue, and it doesn't produce spit like American chew / dip which is part of why those became far less popular when the Spanish Flu hit. So the only reason I could think that governments would be opposed to it is because they're on the take from cigarette producers.