Tobacco Giants 2022 Market Situation for New Products

Feb.17.2023
Tobacco Giants 2022 Market Situation for New Products
Major tobacco companies report significant growth in new tobacco products market, with PMI leading sales at $9.7 billion.

Recently, PMI, BAT, JTI, and KT&G have all announced the market outlook for their new tobacco products (including heated non-burning, electronic cigarettes, and nicotine pouches) for 2022.


2FIRSTS compared and analyzed the new tobacco businesses of four companies.


PMI's sales revenue is in first place, exceeding the sum of the other three companies combined.


Upon comparison, 2FIRSTS has found that all four tobacco companies have experienced significant growth in their new tobacco business, with BAT growing by almost 50%. The specific market conditions are as follows:


According to sources, 2FIRSTSPMI has the highest sales revenue at 9.7 billion US dollars but no specific growth data is available. Following closely are BAT with a sales revenue of 3.46 billion US dollars, a 40.9% year-on-year increase; KT&G with a sales revenue of 1.126 billion US dollars, a 13.8% year-on-year increase; and JTI with a sales revenue of 617 million US dollars, a 9.2% year-on-year increase.


The main markets are extremely competitive, with emerging markets operating independently.


From a market perspective, these four tobacco companies are continuing to strengthen their positions in their established main markets while actively expanding into emerging markets, with a low degree of overlap in these new markets. The majority of these emerging markets are concentrated in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Here are the specific details:


PMI's main markets are in Europe and East Asia, where 95% of its smoke-free product sales come from. The company is experiencing rapid growth in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Africa, with growth rates reaching as high as 100%.


BAT's main markets are Europe and North America, with emerging markets in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Its e-cigarette business saw growth of 55.1%.


KT&G's main markets are in East Asia and Europe, while its emerging markets are in Central and South America.


JTI's primary markets include Japan, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and the United States. In 2022, JTI is expected to see an increase in market share in most of these markets.


Top tobacco companies' emerging market distribution map | Image source: 2FIRSTS Overall, both BAT and PMI are expanding into the South African market, while BAT and KT&G are focusing on Central and South America and Africa. However, it is worth noting that KT&G has renewed its contract with PMI for 15 years. So, while it may appear that BAT and KT&G are competing for the Central and South American and African markets, it is still ultimately a competition between BAT and PMI.


PMI, a tobacco company with a leading market share in the new tobacco market, has also shown its ambitions in strategic planning. PMI's layout covers almost all regions including China, the United States, South America, Africa, and the Middle East. Previously, PMI also planned to return to the US market by 2025.


References:


Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) has released its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2022.


New category growth will drive profitability forward until 2024.


The earnings report of 2022.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

FDA Sued Over Allowing Some Unauthorized Vapes and Nicotine Pouches to Stay on Market
FDA Sued Over Allowing Some Unauthorized Vapes and Nicotine Pouches to Stay on Market
Public health groups, pediatricians and parents sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on July 14, 2026, challenging a May enforcement guidance that they say allows unauthorized e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches to remain on the market while applications are under review.
Jul.15
2Firsts Hosts U.S. Market Mid-Year Briefing: Companies Need to Reassess Product and Market-Access Strategies
2Firsts Hosts U.S. Market Mid-Year Briefing: Companies Need to Reassess Product and Market-Access Strategies
2Firsts held its 2026 U.S. Market Compliance and Development Mid-Year Briefing in Shenzhen, China, on July 28. The discussion examined how state-level requirements, proposed foreign-establishment registration rules and expanding supply-chain responsibilities are changing product and investment decisions in the U.S. tobacco and nicotine market.
Jul.29
From a 2017 Launch to 48% of South Korea’s Heated Tobacco Market, KT&G Looks Back on a Decade of lil
From a 2017 Launch to 48% of South Korea’s Heated Tobacco Market, KT&G Looks Back on a Decade of lil
KT&G announced on Aug. 13, 2026, that it has opened “lil Archive,” a brand exhibition space in Seoul showcasing the evolution, technology platforms and future direction of its heated tobacco brand lil since its launch in 2017. KT&G said lil now spans three major platforms — lil SOLID, lil HYBRID and lil AIBLE — with more than 30 dedicated consumables, and held a 48% share of South Korea's heated tobacco market in the second quarter of 2026. The opening comes as lil enters its 10th year, with KT&G continuing to position the brand for expansion beyond its domestic market.
Aug.14
BAT UK Director Tolga Kilic Says Illicit Nicotine Market Squeezes Legal Retailers Amid Rising Compliance Costs
BAT UK Director Tolga Kilic Says Illicit Nicotine Market Squeezes Legal Retailers Amid Rising Compliance Costs
UK retail publication Grocery Trader has published a viewpoint article from Tolga Kilic, Commercial Director for BAT UK & Ireland, discussing the impact of illicit nicotine products on legitimate retail channels. Kilic said illegal vapes and other illicit nicotine products create competitive pressure for compliant retailers and called for stronger market controls and supply-chain oversight. The comments come as the UK advances policies including the disposable vape ban and Vaping Products Duty, creating a more complex operating environment for legal vape retailers.
Jul.28
PMI Global R&D Chief Meets Chinese Tobacco Regulator as China Advances Heated Cigarette Standards
PMI Global R&D Chief Meets Chinese Tobacco Regulator as China Advances Heated Cigarette Standards
Philip Morris International’s global R&D chief Michele Cattoni met Liu Sanjiang, deputy director of China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, in Beijing on Aug. 27. The meeting comes as China advances mandatory standards for heated cigarettes and nicotine pouches, laying groundwork for their domestic introduction. Cattoni has held senior roles in PMI’s heated tobacco development, while China’s draft standard covers multiple heating architectures, including systems similar in principle to PMI’s IQOS ILUMA technology.
Aug.27
Gallup Tracks Nicotine Pouch Use for the First Time: 11% of U.S. Adults Smoke, 9% Vape and 4% Use Nicotine Pouches
Gallup Tracks Nicotine Pouch Use for the First Time: 11% of U.S. Adults Smoke, 9% Vape and 4% Use Nicotine Pouches
Gallup’s 2026 Consumption Habits survey tracked nicotine pouch use for the first time. The survey found that 11% of U.S. adults reported smoking cigarettes in the past week, 9% reported vaping, and 4% reported using nicotine pouches. Cigarette smoking remained near Gallup’s long-term low, while adult vaping rates stayed relatively stable in recent years.
Market
Aug.25 by 2Firsts Perspectives