Swedish Match to launch new brands in the US

The Wall Street Journal wrote that smokeless-tobacco giant Swedish Match AB, the dominant maker of snus in Scandinavia, plans to begin a major push into the category in the U.S. in the coming months.

"We think snus in the U.S. is going to be a big category," said Clark Darrah, vice president for next-generation products for Swedish Match's U.S. division. "Globally, this is the biggest opportunity that we have."

The company is unveiling two new versions of its General brand in the U.S., Nordic Mint and Classic Blend.

The company is also sharply expanding retail distribution starting this month. Initial markets will be Chicago, Dallas and Philadelphia, the WSJ said.

Snus account for about 2.5% of smokeless-tobacco sales in the United States.