Philip Morris International (PMI) is expanding its ZYN nicotine pouch portfolio in the United States with new 1.5mg and 8mg dry pouch strengths, giving the brand a wider range of options alongside its existing 3mg and 6mg products.
The expansion was announced by PMI’s U.S. business on September 9, 2026, as part of a broader update covering nicotine strengths, pouch formats, flavors and package sizes. Rather than introducing a single new product, PMI is repositioning ZYN as a broader portfolio designed to cover more consumer preferences.
ZYN Adds Two New Strength Options
The biggest change to the core ZYN lineup is the addition of 1.5mg and 8mg nicotine strengths.
Previously, ZYN’s flagship dry pouch range in the U.S. centered on 3mg and 6mg options. The new lineup now spans 1.5mg, 3mg, 6mg and 8mg, creating a wider progression between lower- and higher-strength products.
This gives ZYN a more flexible strength structure. The 1.5mg option provides a lower-strength choice, while the new 8mg version extends the range beyond the existing 6mg format.
PMI says the expanded strength selection is intended for legal-age adults who use nicotine and have different preferences depending on the products they currently use or are transitioning from.
The new strengths are being offered across selected ZYN dry pouch flavors, including Cool Mint, Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintergreen, Black Cherry, Peach, Citrus and other variants. PMI’s announcement lists 13 commercially available dry-pouch flavor variants across the expanded range.
ZYN’s Expansion Goes Beyond Nicotine Strength
The 1.5mg and 8mg additions are only part of PMI’s latest ZYN strategy.
The company has also been developing ZYN ULTRA, a higher-moisture oral nicotine pouch line positioned separately from the traditional dry-pouch range. ZYN ULTRA includes 9mg and 11mg products and offers a different pouch format and user experience.
This means the current U.S. ZYN portfolio is becoming differentiated in several ways:
- 1.5mg and 3mg: lower-strength dry pouch options
- 6mg and 8mg: higher-strength dry pouch options
- 9mg and 11mg: ZYN ULTRA higher-moisture products
- Multiple mint, fruit, unflavored and other flavor profiles
- Different pouch formats and moisture levels
PMI’s approach is therefore less about adding two isolated strengths and more about building a broader nicotine-pouch product ladder.
ZYN Is Also Moving to 20 Pouches Per Can
Another notable change concerns packaging.
PMI says its U.S. business plans to transition the 3mg and 6mg dry ZYN variants to 20 pouches per can in the fourth quarter of 2026. The company said consumer research indicated a preference for the larger package format.
This change could make the core ZYN lineup more consistent with other products in the nicotine-pouch category, where 20-pouch cans are common.
It also changes the value proposition of the existing 3mg and 6mg products without requiring PMI to alter their nicotine strengths.
FDA Milestones Give ZYN Expansion More Context
PMI’s latest portfolio expansion follows several important U.S. regulatory developments.
In January 2025, ZYN became the first nicotine pouch authorized for sale in the United States following an FDA scientific review. In June 2026, the FDA issued modified risk tobacco product orders covering 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products. The expansion comes as the U.S. nicotine market faces increasing scrutiny over product authorization, with some competing nicotine pouch and vaping products still lacking FDA nicotine pouch authorization.
The regulatory situation is important because it distinguishes ZYN’s authorized products from the much larger number of nicotine-pouch products available on the market.
PMI has also received marketing granted orders for 11 ZYN ULTRA products, including 9mg and 11mg variants, according to the company’s September announcement.
However, FDA authorization or a modified-risk order should not be interpreted as meaning that nicotine products are risk-free. Nicotine remains addictive, and the regulatory status applies to specific products and claims rather than establishing nicotine pouches as harmless.
Why PMI Is Broadening the ZYN Portfolio
The expansion comes as competition in the U.S. nicotine pouch market becomes more sophisticated.
Consumers are no longer choosing only between different brands. Product selection increasingly involves nicotine strength, pouch moisture, flavor, pouch size, package count and price.
PMI’s new ZYN structure addresses several of these factors at once.
Adding a 1.5mg option allows ZYN to compete more directly in the lower-strength segment, while the 8mg version gives the dry-pouch lineup a higher-strength choice without moving into the company’s separate ZYN ULTRA range.
The strategy also gives PMI more room to segment the brand without relying on a single nicotine strength or pouch format.
ZYN’s U.S. Manufacturing Capacity Is Expanding Too
The larger product portfolio is being supported by increased U.S. manufacturing capacity.
PMI says ZYN is manufactured in the United States, with existing operations in Owensboro, Kentucky. The company also recently opened a manufacturing campus in Aurora, Colorado. The approximately 780,000-square-foot facility began commercial production in July 2026.
That additional capacity is particularly relevant as PMI expands both the number of ZYN products and the package formats available to U.S. consumers.
The company has previously discussed increasing investment in the U.S. ZYN business as the nicotine-pouch category continues to develop. Reuters reported in July that PMI planned to launch the 1.5mg and 8mg ZYN variants during the third quarter of 2026.
What the New ZYN Lineup Means
The latest announcement changes ZYN from a relatively straightforward 3mg/6mg dry-pouch lineup into a much broader portfolio.
The core dry range now covers 1.5mg, 3mg, 6mg and 8mg, while ZYN ULTRA extends the portfolio into higher-strength, higher-moisture products.
At the same time, PMI is adding flavor choices and preparing to move its 3mg and 6mg products to 20-pouch cans.
For the U.S. nicotine-pouch market, the more important story may therefore be the overall portfolio strategy rather than the arrival of two new strengths.
PMI is giving ZYN more ways to compete across strength, format and price positioning while using its existing brand recognition and expanding U.S. manufacturing footprint.
For legal-age adults who already use nicotine, the expanded lineup provides more product differentiation. For the wider market, it signals that competition among major nicotine-pouch brands is increasingly shifting toward portfolio depth rather than simply adding another flavor or strength.
Note: ZYN and other nicotine products contain nicotine, an addictive substance. The products discussed here are intended only for legal-age adults who use nicotine.