Where the Gains Are
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2014
C-store sales of smokeless tobacco rose more than 5% in 2014 to hit $5.3 billion, according to IRI. The largest segment—chewing tobacco/snuff, which includes moist smokeless—was up 4.7%.
| Smokeless type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Chewing tobacco/snuff | $5,313.3 | 4.7% | 1,257.2 | 1.9% |
| Spitless tobacco | $205.6 | 14.2% | 52.9 | 1.9% |
| Total smokeless tobacco | $5,518.9 | 5.1% | 1,310.1 | 1.9% |
Source: IRI
* Percent change from a year ago
Distributor Data: Smokeless-Tobacco Shipments
Calendar year 2014
Shipments of smokeless tobacco from McLane in 2014 rose more than 6%, led by moist smokeless and snus.
| Segment | APSW*** (in dollars) | APSW dollar growth | PCYA* |
| Moist smokeless | $575.16 | $35.65 | 6.6% |
| Snus/stick/strip/orb | $28.72 | $2.00 | 7.5% |
| Alternative | $0.34 | $0.02 | 5.1% |
| Dry | $0.14 | $0.03 | 26.1% |
Source: McLane Co.
* Percent change from a year ago
*** Average shipments per store per week
Smokeless Sales: 20 Large Chains**
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2014
A Nielsen sample of 20 large c-store chains shows moist snuff and snus making unit gains in the 52 weeks ending Dec. 20, 2014. Low-price and portion-pouch moist smokeless provided the lift.
| Type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Pouch/can sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| SMOKELESS | ||||
| Moist snuff | $544.2 | 6.7% | 147.6 | 3.8% |
| Loose-leaf | $15.2 | -1.5% | 2.4 | -9.2% |
| Snus | $25.8 | 13.4% | 6.9 | 3.0% |
| Total smokeless | $585.2 | 6.7% | 156.9 | 3.6% |
| MOIST SMOKELESS | ||||
| Low-price | $234.1 | 10.0% | 76.2 | 4.0% |
| Midtier | $18.0 | 3.1% | 4.6 | -1.5% |
| Premium | $210.9 | 0.0% | 44.6 | -1.3% |
| Portion pouch | $81.3 | 17.8% | 22.1 | 16.5% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Swedish Match North America
* Percent change from a year ago
** Nielsen Large Convenience Chain store-level database of 20 chains comprising about 14,000 stores
Moist-Smokeless Share by Type: 20 Large Chains**
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 20, 2014
Low-price brands supplied more than half of moist-smokeless volume sales in the Nielsen large-chain sample.
| Segment | Volume share | Dollar share |
| Low-price | 51.6% | 43.0% |
| Midtier | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| Premium | 30.3% | 38.8% |
| Potion pouch | 15.0% | 14.9% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Swedish Match North America
Market Share by Product: 20 Large Chains**
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 20, 2014
More than 90% of smokeless volume and dollar sales for the retailers in Nielsen’s large-chain sample came from moist snuff.
| Segment | Volume share | Dollar share |
| Moist snuff | 94% | 93% |
| Snus | 4.4% | 4.4% |
| Loose leaf | 1.5% | 2.6% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Swedish Match North America
** Nielsen Large Convenience Chain store-level database of 20 chains comprising about 14,000 stores
CONTINUED: Smokeless Brand Breakdown
Moist-Smokeless Share by Brand: 20 Large Chains**
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 20, 2014
One-third of moist-smokeless unit sales for the chains in the Nielsen sample came from Grizzly; Copenhagen supplied 34.8% of dollar sales.
Unit share
| Brand | Unit share |
| Grizzly | 33.3% |
| Copenhagen | 30.9% |
| Skoal | 20.4% |
| Longhorn | 4.9% |
| Kodiak | 3.4% |
| Red Seal | 3.1% |
| Timber Wolf | 1.9% |
| Other*** | 2.0% |
Dollar share
| Brand | Dollar share |
| Copenhagen | 34.3% |
| Grizzly | 29.0% |
| Skoal | 22.8% |
| Kodiak | 4.5% |
| Red Seal | 3.3% |
| Longhorn | 2.9% |
| Timber Wolf | 1.5% |
| Other*** | 1.2% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Swedish Match North America
** Nielsen Large Convenience Chain store-level database of 20 chains comprising about 14,000 stores
*** Brands with less than 1% share
Moist-Smokeless Trends: 20 Large Chains**
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 20, 2014
Grizzly was the top-selling moist-smokeless brand by can sales for the chains in the Nielsen sample. By dollars, Copenhagen led the ranking.
Brands by Can Sales
| Brand | Pouch/can sales (millions) | PCYA* | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* |
| Grizzly | 49.2 | 5.9% | $157.8 | 11.2% |
| Copenhagen | 45.6 | 7.4% | $189.6 | 10.5% |
| Skoal | 30.1 | -0.3% | $123.9 | -1.0% |
| Longhorn | 7.2 | 6.4% | $15.5 | 7.9% |
| Kodiak | 5.0 | -1.7% | $24.8 | 1.9% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Swedish Match North America
* Percent change from a year ago
UPCs by Can Sales
| UPC | Pouch/can sales (millions) | PCYA* | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* |
| Grizzly Long-Cut Wintergreen (1.2-oz.) | 14.3 | -15.5% | $49.3 | -10.9% |
| Copenhagen Fine-Cut Natural (1.2-oz.) | 9.2 | -5.5% | $46.7 | -1.4% |
| Copenhagen Long-Cut Wintergreen (1.2-oz.) | 7.4 | 7.3% | $25.9 | 15.0% |
| Copenhagen Long-Cut Natural (1.2-oz.) | 7.4 | -4.4% | $37.5 | -0.4% |
| Grizzly Pouches Wintergreen (0.82-oz.) | 6.1 | 13.4% | $20.7 | 21.0% |
| Grizzly Long-Cut Wintergreen (5-can roll) | 5.0 | -3.2% | $13.5 | 4.7% |
| Grizzly Long-Cut Wintergreen 50 Cents Off (1.2-oz.) | 4.2 | 154.0% | $11.7 | 211.7% |
| Kodiak Wintergreen Long-Cut (1.2-oz.) | 4.0 | -5.8% | $20.1 | -1.8% |
| Copenhagen Long-Cut Straight (1.2-oz.) | 3.5 | 7.2% | $11.9 | 14.1% |
| Grizzly Long-Cut Straight (1.2-oz.) | 3.4 | -15.8% | $11.9 | -10.3% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Swedish Match North America
* Percent change from a year ago
Distributor Data: Snus UPCs
Calendar year 2014
Six of the top snus UPCs shipped by McLane in 2014 to c-stores and travel centers were Camel brands.
- Camel Frost
- Camel Frost Large Can
- Camel Mellow
- Camel Winterchill
- Camel Mint
- Skoal Mint
- General Mint (0.85-oz.)
- Skoal Smooth
- MintCamel Robust
- General White (0.85-oz.)
Source: McLane Co.
Chewing-Tobacco UPCs: 20 Large Chains**
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 20, 2014
The top-selling chewing-tobacco UPC for the large chains in the Nielsen sample was the 3-ounce Red Man pouch.
| UPC | Pouch/can sales (millions) | PCYA* | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* |
| Red Man Pouch (3-oz.) | 0.9 | -9.0% | $5.6 | -0.9% |
| Red Man Golden Blend Pouch (3-oz.) | 0.8 | -7.5% | $5.1 | 1.2% |
| Levi Garrett Pouch (3-oz.) | 0.5 | -0.5% | $3.5 | -3.1% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Swedish Match North America
* Percent change from a year ago
Category Insight
2014 analysis of c-store point-of-sale data by Management Science Associates found that the following products were most often included in an OTP market basket:
- CSDs
- Premium cigarettes
- Bottled water
- Alternative packaged beverages
- Juice
- Chocolate bars
- Iced tea
- Snack cakes/pastries/desserts
- Sports drinks
- Hot dispensed beverages
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