Coarsely ground snus originates in Norrland (the northern part of Sweden), the special Grovsnus recipe however was developed in Stockholm, by Willhelm Hellgren’s factory. Wilhelm Hellgren started his career as a clerk at Aspelin’s tobacco factory in Stockholm and started his own business in 1840. W:m Hellgren & Co. soon became very successful and within ten years had the third largest factory in Sweden, plus several shops in the city of Stockholm.

Grovsnus Loose, with its clear tobacco flavor and rather rough and crude feeling under the lip, has been around since 1915. Grovsnus Original Portion was launched in 1983, with the White Portion to follow in 1993, and the Black Portion in 2008.