Tucker Carlson's ALP nicotine pouches to launch in Europe, CEO says

By Emma Rumney

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - U.S. nicotine pouch brand ALP, which is co-owned by U.S. conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson, will launch sales in 11 European markets from July, its CEO Lorenzo De Plano said.

ALP, co-owned by Carlson and Turning Point Brands, is the fourth- or fifth-largest nicotine pouch label in the United States, De Plano told Reuters in an interview last week.

Nicotine pouches are the fastest-growing tobacco product and increasingly drive growth at companies like Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco, whose products Zyn and Velo dominate the U.S. market.

While ALP only has a U.S. market share of around 2%, it is growing fast, De Plano said, adding that it is now preparing to compete in international markets with the aim of becoming the number 2 brand in the European Union by 2030. 

"We want ALP to be everywhere," he said.

U.S. MARKET FOOTHOLD

ALP's connection with Carlson, an influential and outspoken right-wing voice in the U.S. who is popular with President Donald Trump's voting base, has helped the brand gain a foothold in the U.S. nicotine pouch market, the biggest globally.

Competition is heating up in Europe too, where Zyn is expanding, as companies battle to capture a regional market that Grand View Research forecasts will reach over $6 billion in sales by 2031, up from almost $1.7 billion in 2024.

ALP will launch online sales in Britain, Ireland, Greece, Switzerland and Romania in July, followed by the Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal and Spain in August and September, and Sweden and Denmark later this year. It will take longer for it to launch in stores, with Britain slated for 2027. 

It has signed up a manufacturer in Lithuania to produce 20 million units in 2026 and 50 million in 2027 and is in the process of securing deals with more suppliers, De Plano said.

In May, ALP signed a partnership with former UFC world champion Conor McGregor, which will see them collaborate on a marketing campaign to support ALP's international expansion.    

(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Alexander Smith)