7 Tobacco Products at the 2024 NACS Show for C-Stores to Consider

The trade show floor at the NACS Show in Las Vegas in October showcased products in the tobacco category, including updated modern oral nicotine (MON) pouch packaging, nicotine-free options and more. 

Click through to see some of what CSP saw at the expo. 

Black Buffalo, Chicago, showcased its new packaging graphics across its portfolio of smokeless tobacco alternative products. The smokeless tobacco company said the new color schemes and amplified branding elements have been designed for high visibility and increased presence on the back bar of retailers. The company said it began shipping its redesigned nicotine-containing SKUs in September.

Modoral Brands Inc., a Reynolds American group operating company, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, had displays of its new Velo product, Velo Plus. The new synthetic nicotine pouch is set to launch in December as a new offering to the market. “The can itself is going to be larger and it’s also a much higher moisture content,” a representative of the company, told CSP.  Flavors include wintergreen, spearmint, peppermint, mint, dragon fruit, wild berry, citrus. There will also be “a Smooth [artificial tobacco] flavor that will go into the flavor ban states,” the company said.

Kretek International, Moorpark, California, showcased its new Splash brand menthol filtered smokes in nicotine-free classic and smooth styles. Splash is available to all retail channels in 20-pack king size flip-top boxes, delivered in 10-pack cartons. Kretek said it will use the first six months of 2025 to measure smoker appeal in restricted California and Massachusetts markets and show retailers the benefits of legal nicotine-free menthols that are free of federal excise tax.

Richmond, Virginia-based Swedish Match exhibited its buy a roll and save nicotine pouch Zyn at the NACS Show. Philip Morris International (PMI), the owner of Zyn manufacturer Swedish Match, is investing in a new Zyn factory in Aurora, Colorado, to meet the growing demand for the flavored nicotine pouches. The company said it will begin preliminary operations at the facility by the end of 2025 with regular production starting in 2026.

Jacksonville, Florida-based Swisher International, which recently rebranded its smokeless portfolio to Helme Tobacco, displayed a variety of new product packaging at its booth. Swisher’s booth included cans of the company’s pouch volume brand, Rogue and its new look. The new packaging of the cans of Rogue will roll out in 2025. Swisher also showcased its Swisher Sweets BLK brand, which is extending into a new pack-count format, including a single-count foil pouch singles offering. 

Smokeless tobacco products continue to grow share of the behind-the-counter sales. U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., Richmond, Virginia, at the NACS Show in Las Vegas featured a variety of its Copenhagen Spit-Free tobacco pouches, including the Copenhagen Spit-Free Green. The Altria-owned company's smokeless tobacco pouches have a mint flavor and a large pouch format. 

Modern oral nicotine pouches were featured heavily on the tradeshow floor, including Zeo Universe, Miami, Florida. The company offers pharmaceutical-grade nicotine with over 99% purity, with an FDA acceptance letter for all nicotine products. The company showcased its berry moonlight limited edition can that has 25 pouches and strength of 6 milligrams.