Swedish Match and Phillip Morris in JV

[KarlvB]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...M2w&refer=home

It's better than the takeover that analysts had speculated will happen...

I really hope PM doesn't start messing with things over at SM.

Strange though that they are doing this so soon after buying Rocker. Guess they must see real potential in the snus market.

[Shownarou]

I really don't know what to think of this... With tobacco taxes in my state, it's much cheaper for me to currently order my snus over the internet than it would be in a store if it were available..

[ShaulWolf]

... man, I just keep getting more news I don't want to hear. I like things under SM, so I really hope PM doesn't start screwing things up.

[joshua]

Having the entire SM product line at my local gas station would be ****ing awesome.

[MN_Snuser]

Having the entire SM product line at my local gas station would be ****ing awesome.

+1 FTW

[Old Frothingslosh]

Having the entire SM product line at my local gas station would be ****ing awesome.

Having the tax man at the gas station wouldn't be so great.

[MN_Snuser]

Having the entire SM product line at my local gas station would be ****ing awesome.

Having the tax man at the gas station wouldn't be so great.

I agree, but think about this way. I use tobacco so the kids can have health care.

[snusjus]

I wouldn't get too excited. Just because PMI and SM are merging, it doesn't mean the full line of SM snus will be available all over the globe. This simply means that Philip Morris will help promote snus more heavily. However, as most of us know, PM has not been too successful in manufacturing high-quality snus. If you live in America, though, I wouldn't be surprised if you see another Swedish Match snus get marketed; on the negative side, it will probably be sweetened to suite Americans' tastes.

[ShaulWolf]

I wouldn't get too excited. Just because PMI and SM are merging, it doesn't mean the full line of SM snus will be available all over the globe. This simply means that Philip Morris will help promote snus more heavily. However, as most of us know, PM has not been too successful in manufacturing high-quality snus. If you live in America, though, I wouldn't be surprised if you see another Swedish Match snus get marketed; on the negative side, it will probably be sweetened to suite Americans' tastes.

That's what worries me. I like snus from SM as is. I dislike the thought of an American company trying to "improve" it. If they're smart they'll leave it alone, but how often has that ever happened?

[snusjus]

I wouldn't get too excited. Just because PMI and SM are merging, it doesn't mean the full line of SM snus will be available all over the globe. This simply means that Philip Morris will help promote snus more heavily. However, as most of us know, PM has not been too successful in manufacturing high-quality snus. If you live in America, though, I wouldn't be surprised if you see another Swedish Match snus get marketed; on the negative side, it will probably be sweetened to suite Americans' tastes.

That's what worries me. I like snus from SM as is. I dislike the thought of an American company trying to "improve" it. If they're smart they'll leave it alone, but how often has that ever happened?

Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International are two separate entities now. Last year, Altria spun off PMI, thus making it separate from PMUSA. Even then, I wouldn't trust Philip Morris with snus; however, I have yet to try 1847 snus, so I could be wrong.

[Mr. Unloadingzone]

Having the entire SM product line at my local gas station would be ****ing awesome.

Wrong Philip Morris. Philip Morris USA is owned by Altria and has nothing to do with this JV. Philip Morris International, which is no longer owned by Altria, is the one partnering with Swedish Match. They are targeting emerging markets abroad and perhaps squeezing the EU on revoking the Snus Ban. Has nothing to do with the USA....unless PMI ultimately buys SM.

[Mr. Unloadingzone]

I wouldn't get too excited. Just because PMI and SM are merging, it doesn't mean the full line of SM snus will be available all over the globe. This simply means that Philip Morris will help promote snus more heavily. However, as most of us know, PM has not been too successful in manufacturing high-quality snus. If you live in America, though, I wouldn't be surprised if you see another Swedish Match snus get marketed; on the negative side, it will probably be sweetened to suite Americans' tastes.

That's what worries me. I like snus from SM as is. I dislike the thought of an American company trying to "improve" it. If they're smart they'll leave it alone, but how often has that ever happened?

Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International are two separate entities now. Last year, Altria spun off PMI, thus making it separate from PMUSA. Even then, I wouldn't trust Philip Morris with snus; however, I have yet to try 1847 snus, so I could be wrong.

PMI and SM are not merging..yet. This is a 50-50 joint venture. American snus users got General Mini Mint, designed to go against Camel Frost, and lets not forget Triumph Snus which SM manufacturers, but Lorillard had secretly reduce the nicotine after the "free" product was gone. The big loser may be the rest of the world since the JV has the rights to the Marlboro name. While PM 1847 is a great snus (to my surprise) and in my rotation, I shudder at the thought of emerging markets being "treated" to Marlboro snus; American Style.

[Mr. Unloadingzone]

http://snuscentral.org/snusnus/mr-un...s-venture.html is my riveting article on the SMAB - PMI JV. If you are French, please accept my apology in advance.

As to taxes, PMI isn't the problem. It's Altria. What they are trying to pull in Virginia right now is the most outragous thing I have ever seen in my life. If they pull it off, ALL Swedish snus is screwed in the United States.

Mr. UNZ

[ShaulWolf]

Very well written article. I've always enjoyed your articles, they're actually what got me to pull the trigger on ordering snus. Haven't regretted it since.

Curious, what's going on with Altria in Virginia?

[bearcat87]

Love the article Mr. UNZ!

Poor French!