Knox Snus

Knox Snus

Founded in 2002 by two best friends, Skruf Snus AB is a successful producer of Swedish style snus originally geared towards the premium snus market with its launch of Skruf Original (flavored with rose oil) in 2003. Later looking to diversify across a range of market segments, Skruf began developing a new brand with the goals of being affordable and flavor rich. The Imperial Tobacco Group acquired 43.5% of the shares in Skruf Snus in 2005, and this gave Skruf access to a wider range of resources afforded by ITG which in turn helped the company to develop a high quality value brand without having to sacrifice taste for a lower cost.

A Low Priced, High Value Offering From Skruf

After a lengthy research and development process, Skruf finally launched its Knox line of value snus in 2006. Making its debut later than the majority of value brands (which began to emerge in 2005), Skruf’s marketing manager Frida Lagerdahl claimed that Knox was delayed because "We [Skruf] haven't reduced the quality on Knox at all ­it takes time to produce a real quality product. This is the reason that we launch our low priced snus later than the other competitors."

Strong Flavors, Great Taste

Unlike the majority of value snus brands, Knox has a strong aroma of citrus (most likely as a type of orange) as well as floral tobacco and notes of spice and herbs. In many aspects, Knox’s flavor reminded me of a toned down version of Skruf Original without the rose oil (perhaps this is what Skruf was aiming for?), and the experience was full of long lasting flavor. Knox also had a fairly strong nicotine kick for a value brand, and it definitely left me coming back for more. Although its only comes in the one flavor, Knox is available in a range of formats including Original Portion, White Portion, Strong Portion (12­-16mg of nicotine per portion), and Loose (40g of snus per can with about 10mg of nicotine per gram).

Not Just For The Budget Minded

Already a strong performer in the premium snus category, Skruf Snus AB’s Knox brand has demonstrated that the company is able to produce great tasting brands without compromising taste at any market level. Furthermore, Skruf’s insistence on releasing the brand with a high level of quality turned out to be a wise decision, as the resulting product is rich in flavor yet low in price. Finally, the range of nicotine strengths Knox is available in (including strong) allow consumers to choose which strength best suits their needs. Aside from those looking to save some money, Knox’s smooth tobacco flavor, floral undertones, and hints of citrus all come together to produce a balanced and long lasting taste which can be appreciated all snus fans regardless of budget.

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