Supply. Supply. Supply: How Badael plans to meet record demand for DZRT
RIYADH — Badael, a Saudi-based smoking cessation company established by the Public Investment Fund in 2023, is scaling up its production and retail presence to meet the growing demand for its flagship product, DZRT — a tobacco-free nicotine pouch aimed at helping smokers quit.
In less than two years, the company has enabled nearly 400,000 smokers to transition away from cigarettes, with 140,000 of them reportedly exiting nicotine use altogether. Badael now expects to reach its original goal of helping one million smokers quit — initially set for 2032 — by as early as 2026.
'We're already seeing results: 140,000 of those who switched to DZRT have now exited the nicotine category entirely,' said Tolga Sezer, CEO of Badael, in an interview with Saudi Gazette. 'Our goal is clear: to reduce smoking prevalence, support economic diversification, create local jobs, and reduce healthcare costs caused by smoking-related preventable diseases.'
According to Sezer, Badael's focus remains squarely on impact rather than profit. 'We don't have commercial motives. Our primary focus is to help people move away from smoking — and eventually from nicotine dependency altogether.'
DZRT is not classified as a medical product and is available without a prescription, making it accessible to a broader segment of smokers. The pouch delivers nicotine without tobacco or combustion and is designed to offer a discreet and convenient alternative to smoking. 'It satisfies nicotine cravings, discreet enough to use anywhere, and at the same time doesn't contain tobacco nor produce smoke,' Sezer said.
With demand far outpacing initial projections, Badael is expanding its manufacturing capabilities at its Jeddah facilities. The company is targeting production of more than 100 million cans this year, up from an early target of 1.5 million. Additional production lines are expected to go live mid-year and again by the end of 2025.
Retail access is also being ramped up. Although 60 percent of DZRT sales currently take place online, the company plans to expand its retail network to 6,000 outlets across 13 major cities by year-end.
Localization is another key element of Badael's strategy. The company sources most of its ingredients, products, and packaging from within the Kingdom, and has introduced Saudi-inspired flavors tailored to local preferences. 'This reinforces the company's commitment to the Kingdom and Vision 2030 economic goals,' said Sezer.
Despite its commercial scale, Badael insists its efforts remain firmly rooted in smoking cessation. 'We never target non-smokers. Everything we do, from marketing communication to on-the-ground activation, is under the banner of smoking cessation,' Sezer said.
Badael is also eyeing expansion beyond Saudi Arabia, with plans to enter GCC and MENA markets before eventually targeting Europe. 'Our mission is not just to help Saudi smokers — we aim to expand into the GCC, key MENA markets, and eventually Europe. We want to be a major global player in healthcare — harm reduction,' he said.
Looking ahead, Badael is developing additional reduced-harm nicotine delivery systems aimed at supporting smokers through their quitting journey. 'We will introduce various products — all with the same purpose: helping people move away from smoking addiction,' Sezer added.
For Badael, success is measured in lives changed, not sales figures. 'We take people away from smoking — they stay with us for a period, and then they exit. And we are happy with that,' said Sezer.
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