interesting quote from swedish match

[pcguy]

I found the following quote on Swedish Match's US division website.

The production processes for American moist snuff and Swedish snus differ in that moist snuff in the US is fermented while Swedish-style snus is pasteurized. However, both production techniques complies with the quality standard GothiaTek®.

Is this doublespeak, or are the arguments of low TSNA of fire curing and fermentation vs. steam pasteurization of traditional snus invalid?

[bakerbarber]

I think it's more of a legal statement. Ala "please don't sue us for claiming your production methods are harmful" sort of thing. They want the marketing of gothiatek, but not the ramifications of bashing the competitors.

[pcguy]

no matter their reason, it's misleading at best.

For swedish snus, they imply that steam pasteurization and ingredient disclosure leads to very low levels and TSNA, proferring their trademark "gothiatek", resulting in little to no risk of cancer. Often they cite high levels in american smokeless to show swedish snus in a much better light. Then turn around and tell Americans that their fire cured and fermented product is equal to swedish in quality, granting it "gothiatek" label as well.

Net result of disclosures in sweden and North america, "gothiatek" means shite...

[RobsanX]

Gothiatek limits the amount of TSNA's in smokeless products. If an American snuff/snus meets that and other criteria then there is really no conflict. The process is secondary to final result.

[pcguy]

http://www.gothiatek.com/templates/s...spx?page_id=27

Here is further information from Swedish Match directly implying swedish snus is less harmful, and clearly elevating it above other tobacco products, thus giving it the gothiatek seal.

[snusjus]

Gothiatek is just another marketing ploy to make snus users switch over to Swedish Match products. I'm not trying to say I hate Swedish Match; they make wonderful snus in my honest opinion. In Sweden, the government regulates tobacco and requires all snus be under a certain TSNA level. Other snus companies claim they have the lowest level of toxins. All the snus manufactured in Sweden have approximately the same levels of TSNAs.

[pcguy]

I think the point I was making may be misunderstood. SM is the largest make of swedish snus, but a small company compared to big US tobacco companies. They shouldn't start in the US market on such shaky ground. They don't need to play up their american style dip, and should push their traditional snus products here. They are of sufficient quality to stand on their own merit. Anything less is selling themselves short.

[mercvrivs]

I agree. Swedish Match has a decent foothold in the U.S. smokeless industry (Timberwolf, for instance), but I don't like that they're trying to make all their new snus here fitted to "American tastes."

[pcguy]

The best case scenario for us here, is the broad based introduction of swedish match's traditional product line without change. If anything, release it all here, and introduce a few new ones to appeal to american tastes. There is room on this marketplace for more choices, since our user base will be so much larger than in sweden/norway

[---Nicotinic Acid---]

If I recall, Gothiatek requires a total TSNA of less than 10 - many domestic dips meet that criteria.

[RobsanX]

I think the point I was making may be misunderstood. SM is the largest make of swedish snus, but a small company compared to big US tobacco companies. They shouldn't start in the US market on such shaky ground. They don't need to play up their american style dip, and should push their traditional snus products here. They are of sufficient quality to stand on their own merit. Anything less is selling themselves short.

SM has 12,500 employees compared to PM's 84,000 and RJR's 6,800... So they are definitely a major player in the international tobacco market...