Jacksonville-based tobacco company Swisher announced Dec. 10 it plans a $135 million expansion in Springfield, where it will produce smokeless nicotine and caffeine products.
The company confirmed it is the code-named Project Newark that received $3.5 million in incentives from the city.
Swisher said the expansion was part of its automated pouch operation, used to produce its smokeless products.
In August, Jacksonville City Council approved a 50%, five-year Recapture Enhanced Value Grant for Project Newark. A REV grant is a refund on ad valorem tax revenue generated by a new development or property enhancement. It can apply to property and tangible personal property.
Council approved the incentive 17-0, with members Tyrona Clark-Murray and Rory Diamond not present.
President and CEO Neil Kiely said in a news release that the company was entering “one of the most dynamic growth periods in our history.”
“As consumer preferences evolve, Swisher is uniquely positioned to deliver high-quality, innovative products at scale,” Kiely said. “This expansion strengthens our competitive advantage, creates hundreds of local jobs, and fuels economic opportunity for the communities we proudly call home.”
Swisher said its investment is expected to create at least 240 full-time jobs by the end of 2027. The city Office of Economic Development said it expected the company to offer average salaries of $70,000, excluding benefits.
The economic development agreement between the city and Project Newark says $100 million of investment will come in tangible personal property.
Swisher said it will work with community partners to recruit Northeast Florida residents for its expanded manufacturing workforce. The company, which has operated in Jacksonville for 101 years, is headquartered at 459 E. 16th St.
“Swisher is an iconic company and this major new expansion in Historic Springfield is a welcome and worthy investment in manufacturing and innovation for our community,” Mayor Donna Deegan said. “I’m thrilled to see that their enduring commitment to Jacksonville continues to pay dividends for our local economy.”
Swisher building permits
In September, the city issued a permit for Swisher to upgrade its Springfield-area manufacturing plant to operate new production machinery.
Swisher calls the project the Swisher APO building renovation and refers to “Swisher Project Phoenix,” which appears to refer to its Phoenix neighborhood in New Springfield.
SDS Construction LLC is the contractor for the primary permit, a $3.412 million project at Swisher at 459 E. 16th St
Swisher’s suite of products
Swisher says it serves adult consumers through businesses that include Swisher Sweets Cigar Co., Helme Tobacco Co., Hempire, Rogue Holdings and Drew Estate: The Rebirth of Cigars.
The company sells smokeless nicotine and caffeine products under the Rogue and Mojo brands.
Swisher.com says that Rogue Holdings delivers 100% tobacco-leaf free and sugar-free nicotine products called Rogue Nicotine on Demand that are used without smoke, liquid or vapor.
Rogue Holdings says it is the only modern oral nicotine manufacturer to have all four forms of product – pouches, gum, lozenges and tablets. Rogue Pouches are sold in tins of 20, which the company says is up to 33% more than other leading brands.
Rogue ingredients are sourced from nicotine that is steam-extracted from tobacco leaves.
Rogue Nicotine on Demand offers flavors for every product, such as wintergreen, peppermint, honey-lemon, mango, apple, cinnamon, berry, spearmint, citrus and fruit.
Retail industry website CSPDailyNews.com reported Sept. 26, 2022, that E-Alternative Solutions, a sister company of Swisher, was launching a product outside of the tobacco and cannabidiol realms.
Its products include CBD-infused juice drinks, vapor, tincture drops and lotions from Forth CBD and Leap and Leap Go vapor products.
CSPDailyNews.com said its latest innovation, Mojo Balanced Energy Pouches, are energy and performance pouches that have 50 milligrams of coffee-derived caffeine and feature a proprietary blend of functional ingredients like ginseng root, yerba mate and B vitamins.
The flavored pouches are packaged like modern oral nicotine pouches.
“Mojo brings a new way to optimize the energy, focus, discipline and determination that you already possess. It isn’t a ‘get-all-jacked-up-on-sugar’ energy drink, but an unobtrusive pouch that you hold between your gum and lip to help supercharge your day,” EAS said.
Editor’s note: Editor at Large Karen Brune Mathis contributed to this story.