Swedish Match Enters Seven New U.S. Markets

RICHMOND, Va. -- Swedish Match is expanding its U.S. reach, putting its General brand of Swedish snus on store shelves in seven new markets.

General, Swedish Match's flagship product, will be available in convenience stores and tobacco outlets in the metropolitan areas of New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Denver, Nashville and throughout the state of Ohio with the two newest flavors in its product assortment, Nordic Mint and Classic Blend. Those flavors were launched in Chicago, Dallas and Philadelphia in mid-2011.

"These particular markets were chosen because they meet a number of important criteria to maximize the success of the General brand -- from local smoking restrictions to the number of adult tobacco consumers and the potential opportunity for the snus category as a whole," said Clark Darrah, vice president, Next Generation Products, for Swedish Match.

"Adult tobacco consumers are increasingly looking for discrete, satisfying alternatives to traditional smokeless tobacco and cigarettes," Darrah continued. "Swedish snus and the General brand, in particular, has been the No. 1 choice for discrete tobacco satisfaction among millions of Swedes for decades and now American consumers are finding it to be a superior choice to traditional American smokeless products."

Promotional support for the market expansion will include print and online advertisements, as well as direct mail, sampling events and a word-of-mouth program called The General's Club. More details on The General's Club will be announced at a later date.