Written by Larry Waters Tuesday, 12 January 2010 12:59
Gajane Blows the Dust off Olde SnusAB Factory for Olde Viking Snus
Just when we thought we had heard the last of bankrupt third-tier SnusAB, former makers of the American Grand Prix Snus for Liggett-Vector. The 
mysterious marketing company known as Gajane has purchased the old (bankrupt) SnusAB factory for a new snus product line called Olde Viking.
Olde Viking uses the ugliest and least functional snus cans ever made; formerly used for Grand Prix and the earlier Tourney. These cans are made of obviously cheap plastic, are the size of hockey pucks, and have no used snus compartment. Just the graphic has changed. I visited with Liggett-Vector at the 2009 Tobacco Plus Expo where they asked my opinion of these cans. I was brutally honest. You can read my remarks to them as chronicled in my riveting article SnusAB Bankrupt? Is the race over for Liggett Vector's Grand Prix? from last year's Tobacco Plus Expo.
When it comes to snus, Gajane is best known for the Oden's brand of snus which is manufactured for them by a noted Scandinavian Snus Manufacturer. A brand new Oden's snus will be available in January 2009. I'd show a picture of it, but Gajane has yet to make that or other info available; even to those snus stores like SnusCentral.com which carry the Oden's product. Since Gajane is not a snus company but a large distributor of convenience store accessories like cups, assorted tobacco products and apparently now snus, you would think the marketing people would be more proactive. On the other hand, I doubt convenience stores get more than a price list when it comes to cardboard coffee cups, Atherthons Snuff, napkins, straws and the like, so maybe this is just their nature.
Olde Viking in it's horrible package (which Liggett couldn't even sell at $0.99 a can) has now appeared on-line for over $3 per can! SnusAB at its best was always considered a third tier snus with poor recipes and an obsolete factory. Gajane, to the best of anyone's knowledge, has never made snus before: they've just sold it. In 2009, Gajane bought the shuttered SnusAB factory, apparently blew the dust off the equipment, and are now making Olde Viking Snus, using the old hockey puck cans that came with the factory. We can only hope the contents have changed.....
Industry insiders say privately they see little hope of Olde Viking succeeding in the Swedish or American markets. The bigger question is about Oden's. Is Gajane planning on taking over and moving production of the Oden's Snus brand to the old SnusAB factory? Oden's does have name recognition now and is not a bad snus at all. I particularly like the Oden's Extra Strong Cinnamon. That will probably not be the case if production moves to Gajane/SnusAB.
Gajane doesn't have the experience, the recipes, or anything approaching a modern snus factory. They are a marketing company; not a Swedish snus manufacturer. Americans who do snus are well aware of Grand Prix and Tourney; both the quality and the cans. If not, or for new snusers, there is a plethora of Grand Prix and Tourney by SnusAB snus reviews all over the internet; none of them favorable. It should be a major battle to get snus consumers to pay $3.00+ a can when they can get First and Second Tier quality for the same or even less money. Sadly, I've also read Facebook and other internet comments along the lines "oh boy, a new spearmint snus!" This will be interesting to watch in a sick sort of way as 2010 progresses. If Olde Viking is successful, what does that say about the future of Swedish snus? Are bubblegum flavored mini portions next?
We tried to get a comment from Gajane, but while our Oden's snus arrives like clockwork at our Snus Store, information on Gajane is practically non-existent. Even the SnusCIA is impressed with their security: they can't even confirm Gajane sells plastic straws. Gajane does offer some tobacco products I never heard of (except Oden's, of course). I'm guessing they are all private labels or possibly I've just never seen or heard of these tobacco brands here or abroad. Cucaracha cigars (not La Cucaracha) come from Nicaragua but no more information than that is readily available. Tonix is a brand of sportswear and a sports drink (among other things) but not any tobacco products I could find. Nevertheless, Gajane distributes them. Our SnusCIA has a lot more digging to do.
I have to wonder if the Swedish Snus industry shouldn't take a breather on new products. New snusers in particular are easily overwhelmed by the huge selection already available. Innovation is one thing, but continuously adding flavors and brands just for the sake of adding them is another. The explosion of Strong and Extra Strong snuses in 2009 was warranted. This was a whole new class of snus in the case of the Extra Strong's in particular.
Experimenting with new flavors as Swedish Match does with their Catch Collection and V2 Tobacco does with their Limited Editions is also a worthy endeavor. The Swedish Match Lab Series with it's completely revolutionary pouch is a response to consumer demands for a more discreet, comfortable portion pouch which contains one gram of snus.
But lets be honest; do we REALLY need yet ANOTHER Spearmint or Wintergreen or Mint snus in general; especially with some manufacturers selling multiple versions under their different brands? I"d like to see a Pomegranate snus that has a lot more flavor and nicotine than Mocca's. Why are there only two legitimate brands; Gotlandssnus and Nordströmmen, who make a Julesnus?
I've been trying some nicotine/tobacco-free snuses for another article. Onico has a Ginseng and Guarana flavored product. It's very good, flavor-wise. Why don't they test a tobacco/nicotine version of the same flavor? Gotlandssnus's Tobak & Nikotinifri Original Recipe (and award winner) has a wonderful peppery taste which is nowhere to be found in the regular Gotlandssnus and Jakobsson's snus product lines. Why not? It's not like the bubblegum taste craving snus users are making a big fuss....yet.
Innovation is just that, as is being unique. Simply churning out more of the same flavors (especially in the hope of converting American Moist Snuff users) with slight variations is counter-productive from a business standpoint as you ultimately end up cannibalizing your own consumer base. It would be a shame if the sheer size of the potential US market for Swedish/Scandinavian Snus manufacturers will compromise traditional Swedish Snus itself. Maybe the (hated by me) French have a point: American culture can corrupt even the most venerable and sainted European institutions. In the case of Real Snus, the entire world suffers.
I'm not a snus elitist despite what this article may cause you to assume. I just hate to see perfection dumbed down in an attempt to figure out what will convert 45MM American smokers and Lord knows how many dippers into Swedish snus users. Big American Tobacco sold out a long time ago for pieces of silver. But the Swedes? Swedish Snus? What value to gaining the whole world if you lose your soul?
As 2010 begins,
LARRY WATERS
Swedish Snus Ambassador to the United States
Reporting for SnusCENTRAL.org
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13 Comments
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feck makes this comment
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
PS- I love Pepsi.
SnusCentral Snus Store makes this comment
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Larry is not very happy with us today. Seems we forgot to mention to him that since we are a Ganjane's dealer, we.....purchased some Olde Viking.
Larry apparently shot a mix of coffee and snus out of his nose when he visited the site earlier. He's now out shopping for a replacement monitor for his PC.
Using his smartphone, he did personally write the Olde Viking Spearmint product description. You will note that the product description does match his article. He is very, very, angry with us.
We told him we were selling Olde Viking at the lowest price on the internet....over a dollar a can less than BuySnus. He hung up on us. Sorry.
Bästa hälsningar,
Moe Unz
Mr. UNZ's cousin who runs the Snus Store
Adrian makes this comment
Thursday, 14 January 2010
To cut down with all this speculation which is going on the forum I have now decided to write down the actual fact on what is Snus AB, Oden´s, Olde Viking and Gajane. I can start with confirming that Gajane bought Snus AB but runs under the name GN Tobacco. Lagget Vector´s group wanted a snus once a pone a time, they searched among some snus manufacturing companies and Snus AB did have the best quality snus with the lowest nitrosamine. Since the Swedish Snus is known to be kept in refrigerators, they wanted to save money on that by making dry snus. How ever that was the biggest mistake ever this made them regret and made Snus AB fall to there knees. The technology behind the Olde Viking comes from some X-Swedish match co workers so they have experience if I am aloud to say my point of view. Regarding the can, I can agree that they are ugly and not a typical Swedish snus can. But when Gajane bought Snus AB they had around 100,000 cans of the ugly once which in actual fact is much more expensive than other snus can, designed by Ligget Vector´s Group. How ever there is a new can on the way which is getting patented approximate time for launch is April 2010. Next taste up coming is the original which will be launched in the middle of February.
PS. if you guys are wondering about a information regarding Gajane´s Snus ask don´t speculate and I will try to answer
them as soon as possible
Regards
Larry Waters makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
I know the answer to this question but I would like you to confirm it on behalf of Gajane and GNT. Just a Yes or No answer is what I'm looking for:
Is Olde Viking Snus Pasteurized?
Thanks again for your informative comment. I hope you will stay in touch and keep us updated on Olde Viking and other new products coming out of GN Tobacco.
Thanks again and welcome to SnusCENTRAL.org.
Larry
Andrew Romeo makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
KICKS died a quick death in Swedish retail, and SnusAB was then looking to sell itself, or at least bring in a contract partner for whom to produce. The Swedish market simply requires too much money and patience, and looks poorly upon anything that is not traditional snus.
Liggett-Vector, when they signed on, were clear from the start that they had no intention of providing the volumes necessary to keep the factory afloat. Their strategy in the US was to see how it sold in several test markets before making any decisions as to whether to keep it as part of their portfolio. Knowing them as I do, I would speculate that, had they deemed snus a success, they would have a built a manufacturing facility in North Carolina.
Regarding as to whether or not the product is pasteurized, I look at it another way: SNUS is steam-cured, and not fire-cured (fermented). If the product is not heat-pasteurized, it is not snus.
It's like the old saying, "If my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon."
feck makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Right on Andrew!
"Kicks", "Rocker", and "Roots" were all travesties that deserved to die the death that they did. It's a shame that we still have to endure the hockey puck can legacy though.
Aaron makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
This pasteurization question bothers me more. I agree with Andrew that if it's not heat-pasteurized, it not snus; at least not since the 1970's.
Adrian, I read your comment and I read what you wrote on another forum. You dance around the question. Why can't or won't you just answer it yes or no?
Arnold Gaffin makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
what does bother me is gajane's secrecy. Why won't they come out and say one way or another? why won't they tell us how much nicotine is in old viking? northerner says 10 mg but where did that # come from? is it real? no one knows.
HookedOnSnus makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
jxrocker makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Andrew Romeo makes this comment
Saturday, 16 January 2010
The 'Olde Viking' product deserves its time under the microscope and taste buds. Don't judge the book, etc.
It would be nice if the Gajane boys were candid as to what the technology is. I reckon there is a 'dry' pouch technology out there, similar to Nordic Ice/Klondike's take on smokeless. Nordic American has a fermentation vessel as part of its process (it's purchase decimated my marketing funds in 2006), and none amongst the "dry snus" producers seems to be willing to define what the heck the process is.
Either that, or Nordic and Gajane do not want the headache of saying they do not produce snus at all. And, IMHO, they do not.
If it is low in TSNA's, please allow the informed consumer in on the secret, or we'll go elsewhere.
Adrian makes this comment
Monday, 18 January 2010
To get the facts straight on when Swedish Snus was made and how?
To summaries the history I could start with saying that in the beginning of 18 century did Sweden start with oral Snus in which we call it LÖS Snus. In 1822 did Ljunglöfs start its professional production until 1915. In 1915 were there around 100 snus producers around Sweden, and that when STA (Svenska Tobak Aktiebolag) came into the picture. In 1915 the fifth tobacco monopoly was a fact. All kinds of tobacco production were bought out and about a hundred various snus producers were nationalized.
Snus consumption increased correspondingly and beat all records in 1919 when 7.000 tons of snus were sold. During the following years, the snus consumption decreased mainly in favour of cigarettes. In 1967 the national monopoly was dissolved and at the same time snus usage boosted when various reports stressed the health hazard smoking entailed. Until that time all Swedish Snus production was fermented above 60 Decrease Fahrenheit and stored for around a week heating storages. The unique quality of Swedish Snus (=wet snus) is due to the manufacturing process (fermentation), which inactivates the main part of micro-organism that may exist. The process also minimizes the risk for formation of TSNA (tobacco specific nitrosamines) during the production.
During the 70’s individually portioned snus was introduced and sales have steadily increased since then. During 2003 more than 193 millions of snuscans, corresponding to 6.761 tons of snus, were sold in Sweden. Now days manufacturers are using pasteurizing methods to come by the high demands, steaming it around 110 Decrease Fahrenheit for around 4 hours.
GAJANE & GN TOBACCO.
GN Tobacco are using the traditional manual fermentation process with heating room fermentation. This is unique for GN as the competitors are using a fully automatic process where they are speeding up the process by using steam, so that the fermentation is done very fast. GN´s process is around one week of fermentation wich is one of the reasons that GN has the markets lowest levels of TSNA in the portion snus.
Olde Viking:
Since the lab has been a bit delayed with the result and measurements of Olde Viking we where not able to give you guys a correct TSNA level or a nicotine level. But today we have the report and i could confirm that the nicotine level is measured to be 9mg and TSNA level have been measured up to 0.5 PPM.
Is GN tobacco using the same methods as they did for Grand Prix and Roots?
The answer is NO they are not using the same method and not even the same tobacco mixture. Gajane has very strictly explained to GN tobacco that they are looking for quality and has pushed the budget to be able to order some of the worlds finest tobacco leafs available.
That is enough for now. Mr. Larry Water will write more on his upcoming article on Gajane and GN Tobacco.
Regards
Adrian
Niklas makes this comment
Monday, 16 August 2010