Altria Develops New Smoke-Free Products and Acquires NJOY 

Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, is currently working on two new smoke-free products. The first product is a heated tobacco device, which is designed to provide a stronger tobacco flavor than traditional vapes. According to Chief Operating Officer Jody Begley, the new device called “SWIC” is still under development, but the company is close to delivering the final product. The second product, called On Plus, is a nicotine pouch that aims to deliver a more traditional taste, similar to snuff, and is expected to appeal to dippers and oral tobacco users who want a product that does not require spitting.

Due to a 2018 deal that gave Altria a 35% stake in Juul, the tobacco company has been unable to do business with any other vape brand without going through Juul. Altria’s stock has suffered as a result of Juul’s numerous lawsuits and the ongoing PMTAs situation. To address this issue, Altria has exchanged its minority stake in Juul Labs for intellectual property rights to some of the manufacturer’s heated tobacco prototypes. Altria CEO Billy Gifford believes that this move is the “appropriate path forward for our business.”

In addition to this, Altria Group Inc. has announced that it will acquire NJOY Holdings Inc. for at least $2.75 billion. NJOY is considered a safer bet than Juul because the FDA granted NJOY LLC marketing permits for its Ace closed vape device and three accompanying tobacco-flavored pods last May. Although these products are not FDA-approved, they are legally marketable across the US.

Overall, Altria is expanding its portfolio of smoke-free products as it navigates the changing tobacco market. With the acquisition of NJOY and the development of new smoke-free products, the company is positioning itself for success in the years to come.

This are the types of innovation that would move the vaping industry forward, and provide for a more sustainable planet earth.