Velo is owned by British American Tobacco (BAT), a leading multinational tobacco company with a long history and operations around the world. Established in 1902, it has grown to become one of the largest and most diversified tobacco groups globally. The company is headquartered in London and operates in over 180 countries, offering a diverse portfolio of tobacco and nicotine products to millions of consumers.
The story of Velo dates back to 2015, when the brand was initially known as Epok. Launched in Sweden, Epok was the world’s first all-white tobacco snus. Unlike today’s Velo, Epok contained tobacco (like traditional Swedish snus), but the key difference was that the pouches were all white due to a cleaning and purification process.
The purpose was to offer a fresh alternative that wouldn’t stain teeth. Epok quickly became popular, partly because the purification process removed the traditional tobacco taste, allowing for new, fresh, and exciting flavours.
Epok was created by the Swedish company Winnington, which was later acquired by British American Tobacco in January 2017. This acquisition was a significant step for BAT in expanding their smokeless product offerings, aligning with their mission.
Epok continued to be sold until the autumn of 2018. At this time, the company undertook a major brand overhaul and renamed it to Lyft. However, this rebranding was more than just a name change. In fact, BAT completely transformed the product by removing tobacco entirely. They replaced tobacco with plant fibres and created the nicotine pouches we know today. With a completely tobacco-free alternative, BAT could cater to a broader audience and also sidestep stringent tobacco legislation.
In 2022, it was time for another brand change. British American Tobacco changed the name from Lyft to Velo, the brand we are familiar with today. It’s important to note that, unlike the change from Epok to Lyft, there was no alteration in the product. It remained the same, completely tobacco-free as before.