菲利普莫里斯将科罗拉多 Zyn 工厂投资翻倍至 12 亿美元

Philip Morris International Inc. is doubling investment in its Colorado Zyn manufacturing plant to shore up supply for the popular nicotine pouches that have come under threat from increased competition.

The company now expects to spend $1.2 billion through 2028 on the facility, according to a statement Monday, up from the original $600 million announced in 2024. The plant is located in the town of Aurora, about 10 miles east of Denver, and recently started production.

Zyn is key to Philip Morris’ pivot from cigarettes as an increasing number of consumers opt for smoke-free products. It’s the market leader in the fast-growing nicotine pouch category, but its dominance has been threatened by newer products such as British American Tobacco Plc’s Velo Plus.

Read More: Zyn’s Dry-Mouth Problem Threatens Grip on Nicotine Pouch Market

The Colorado facility will expand Philip Morris’ domestic manufacturing as it looks to ramp up production of Zyn Ultra, which launched in the US in June. The pouch is softer and comes with higher nicotine content, in line with shifting consumer preferences.

Prior to the launch of Zyn Ultra, Philip Morris hadn’t introduced a new version of its pouches since the original launched a decade ago while it awaited authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration.

“There’s been some asymmetry in the portfolio of products that Zyn was able to offer,” Stacey Kennedy, chief executive officer of Philip Morris US, said in an interview. The Colorado factory will be able to produce the company’s full range of Zyn products, including legacy ones, with the goal “to bring all of those products to American consumers as fast as possible,” Kennedy said.

The campus will also make support international markets in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

As recently as 2024, Philip Morris had trouble keeping Zyn stocked on US shelves. The delay of Zyn Ultra also opened the door for competitors. The company says the Aurora campus will help strengthen its supply chain resilience and reduce reliance on a single production site, according to the statement. Philip Morris also has operations in Kentucky and North Carolina.

In the 52-week period ended July 12, Zyn’s market share grew less than 1 percentage point, compared with a nearly 7 percentage-point gain for Velo Plus, according to Circana data analyzed by Bloomberg Intelligence. Zyn still accounts for around 31% of the market, while Velo Plus has an 8% share.

Last quarter, US Zyn shipments rose 1.8% but were down 1.2% overall, highlighting the growing importance of the US market. Last month, the FDA authorized Philip Morris to market Zyn as less harmful than cigarettes, a first within the category.