Transforming Tastes

This article is brought to you by Altria Group Distribution Company/Helix Innovations LLC.

As nicotine pouches grow in popularity, flavor has become one of the ways that adult nicotine consumers 21+ decide on a product, according to Jason Mathis, Senior Director, Oral Tobacco Brand Management, a spokesperson for Helix Innovations LLC, an affiliate of Altria Group Distribution Company. These customers want choices that match their individual preferences.

“As a result, flavor variety has evolved from a nice-to-have attribute to an increasingly important component of category assortment and merchandising strategy,” Mathis said. “Retailers that offer a balanced flavor portfolio are often better positioned to serve a broader range of adult nicotine consumers 21+ and support category growth.”

The importance of flavor was backed up by consumer research conducted by Helix. It identified flavor as one of the most important drivers of nicotine pouch selection and repeat use, Mathis said. 

“The most effective nicotine pouch backbar sets recognize that consumers are not looking for a single flavor experience,” Mathis said. “Similar to other mature consumer product categories, adult nicotine consumers 21+ often seek variety and may have different preferences depending on occasion, taste profile, nicotine strength or desired experience. Retailers should think about assortment as a balance of established favorites alongside newer innovations.”

So what flavors are consumers looking for? Mathis said mint remains the most popular, but fruit flavors are growing. He added that retailers should preserve mint and wintergreen flavors in their backbars while building out additional fruit flavored offerings and tailoring smaller segments to “local velocity.”

“Complex flavor combinations are increasingly becoming one of the primary ways adult nicotine consumers 21+ personalize their nicotine pouch experience,” said Mathis. “That’s why we’re continuing to invest in innovation across the on! PLUS® platform, including expanded flavor offerings and a robust development pipeline designed to deliver meaningful choice as the category continues to evolve.”

To that end, Helix’s on! PLUS® portfolio is expanding to include blueberry mint and mango pineapple flavors. Both flavors are expected to launch in October.

 Mathis said flavor innovation remains an important focus for Helix. “We maintain an active product development pipeline and continue to evaluate future opportunities based on consumer insights, category trends and the regulatory pathways available to bring new products to market,” Mathis said.

This is the second article in a two-part series from Altria Group Distribution Company/Helix Innovations LLC. Read part one to learn how nicotine pouches are driving growth in backbar sales.

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