An affiliate of Phillip Morris International (PMI)—Swedish Match North America—has announced it will donate $1 million to hurricane relief throughout the Southeastern United States (including Florida) following the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Swedish Match North America employs this effort through its “We Care by Zyn” initiative, referencing the brand’s popular tobacco-free nicotine pouches.
The We Care by Zyn is part of PMI’s “multi-pronged approach for corporate and employee giving, with the goal of making a meaningful difference in the communities where PMI’s U.S. affiliates operate."
Donations will be made to the following organizations to help with hurricane relief efforts:
- United Way of North Carolina (NC): $50,000
- Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GA): $50,000
- Greater Valdosta United Way (GA): $50,000
- Central Carolina Community Foundation (SC): $100,000
- Tennessee Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TN): $100,000
- Volunteer Florida Foundation (FL): $350,000
- Gulf Coast Communication Foundation (FL): $150,000
- United Way of Southwest Virginia (VA): $50,000
- 2024 Southwestern Virginia Relief Fund: $100,000
Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Swedish Match North America Joe Ackerman mentioned that the initiative was established during the COVID-19 pandemic for such moments of disaster.
“We Care by ZYN was established in 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, to provide financial support to communities as they respond to and recover from unforeseen disasters,” said Swedish Match North America VP and CMO Ackerman. “This year, we focused on relief efforts following the devastation caused by hurricanes Helene and Milton. We recognized the widespread impact these storms had on our employees and their families, and within the communities where we do business.”
As The Floridian reported earlier this year, Americans appear to be ditching cigarettes and switching to vape devices and tobacco-less nicotine pouches like Zyn. These products have completely rearranged the Big Tobacco market, especially between the two biggest players (who used to be partners), Altria and Phillip Morris International.
The two companies agreed in 2007 that PMI would “spin-off” from Altria and sell the former groups’ cigarette brands overseas. Altria would sell its smokes domestically. However, back then, smoke-free products were not nearly as much of a player in the market as much as today.
According to Carol Ryan of The Wall Street Journal, 40% of nicotine purchases sold in the U.S. were non-traditional products (smoke-free). Cigarettes used to be 80% of America’s market. They are now just 60%.
