Who Makes Killa and Pablo? The NGP Empire Story
In this guide
Last updated: August 2026
Killa and Pablo are both made by NGP Empire, a Danish company that rules the extra-strong end of the pouch shelf. Cuba belongs to the same family, which means one maker sits behind three of the most searched strong-pouch names in Europe. It is one of the category's least told stories: while the giants compete over the mainstream, a Danish house quietly built the strong segment almost by itself.
This is part of our maker series on the companies behind the cans, alongside who makes ZYN, who makes Velo and who makes Skruf.
The quick answer
Three brands, one maker. The table below shows how the NGP Empire family lines up in the PouchSpot catalog, from Cuba's moderate footing to Pablo's listed 50 mg ceiling. If those numbers mean little to you yet, take that as a sign this maker's shelf is not the place to begin.
| Brand | Maker | Listed strength range | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Killa | NGP Empire | 13.2 to 16 mg per pouch | Strong |
| Pablo | NGP Empire | 24 to 50 mg per pouch, as listed | Extreme |
| Cuba | NGP Empire | 10.4 mg per pouch | Medium to strong |
Read before you order
Killa and Pablo are extreme strengths made for experienced adults only. If you are newer to pouches, start with the mild collection instead, and read our guide to what to know before choosing a strength first.
The NGP Empire story
A Danish maker with a narrow thesis
NGP Empire is a Danish company, and its story is refreshingly simple compared with the sprawling corporate histories of the giants. While Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco built broad portfolios around the mainstream, NGP Empire committed to a narrow thesis: the strong segment, priced sharply and distributed widely across Europe.
That focus explains a market quirk. Search interest in the strongest pouches keeps growing, yet the big houses rarely chase it. Swedish Match caps ZYN at 13.5 mg, roughly where Killa begins. The result is an open lane, and NGP Empire drove three brands straight down it.
Why one maker dominates the budget-strong segment
Owning several brands in one segment is a deliberate play. Killa, Pablo and Cuba can each hold their own shelf identity, their own loyal following and their own flavor direction, while sharing production know-how behind the scenes. For a small company, that multiplies presence without multiplying cost. It is the same logic the majors use across segments, applied with unusual discipline to a single one. There is also a candor to the branding that the corporate giants would never permit themselves: the names, the cans and the numbers say exactly what the product is, with no careful hedging in between. The strong end of the market that resulted is mapped in our roundup of the strongest nicotine pouches.
The brands NGP Empire makes
Killa, the recognizable one
Killa is arguably the best known name in the strong segment, sitting at 13.2 to 16 mg per pouch in the Killa collection. It begins where mainstream ranges finish, which is precisely the point. Its cult status even draws challengers, as our Rabbit vs Killa comparison explores.
Pablo, the ceiling
Pablo is the extreme line, listed at PouchSpot from 24 mg up to 50 mg per pouch in the Pablo collection. Those numbers are the brand's whole identity, and they place Pablo in a bracket few makers touch. How the two house brands differ in practice is covered in Killa vs Pablo.
Cuba, the approachable sibling
Cuba is the family's more moderate face at 10.4 mg per pouch in the Cuba collection, closer to mainstream strengths while keeping the maker's sharp pricing. It is the NGP Empire brand most comparable to what the giants sell, and a sensible way to try the house style without committing to its extremes.
How NGP Empire compares
Put beside the majors, the contrast is stark. Swedish Match brings Swedish heritage and a measured ceiling, a philosophy we trace in who makes ZYN, and the difference in the can is laid out in ZYN vs Pablo. BAT's Velo tops out at 17 mg, still well short of Pablo's opening number. Imperial Brands' Skruf stays in the Swedish middle ground entirely. Seen from that angle, NGP Empire is less a rival to the majors than a parallel market, serving a taste the big houses have collectively decided to leave alone.
Regulation is the quiet backdrop to all of this. Nicotine pouches sit alongside the EU's Tobacco Products Directive framework, with national rules varying by market, overseen in Germany by the BVL, and treated under an entirely separate system by the FDA in the United States. Strength caps differ by country, which is why Pablo's listed numbers read differently depending on where you shop. To see where every brand lands on one scale, the strength index is the reference page, and the pouch quiz will happily point you somewhere gentler than 50 mg.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Killa?
Killa is made by NGP Empire, a Danish company that specializes in strong nicotine pouches. The same maker is behind Pablo and Cuba. Browse the Killa collection to see the range.
Who makes Pablo?
Pablo is also an NGP Empire brand. It is the strongest line in the company's family, listed at PouchSpot from 24 mg up to 50 mg per pouch in the Pablo collection.
Is Cuba made by the same company as Killa and Pablo?
Yes. Cuba is a third NGP Empire brand, sitting below its siblings in strength at around 10.4 mg per pouch in the Cuba collection.
Where is NGP Empire based?
NGP Empire is a Danish company. Its brands are a fixture across European markets, particularly at the strong end of the shelf.
Are Killa and Pablo the same product in different cans?
No. They are separate brand lines from the same maker, with different strength positioning. Killa sits around 13.2 to 16 mg per pouch while Pablo is listed from 24 mg to 50 mg. See Killa vs Pablo for the full comparison.
Why are Killa and Pablo so strong?
NGP Empire built its brands for the extra-strong segment that the major houses largely avoid. Strength is the positioning, which is why the ranges start where many rival ranges end. Our guide to the strongest nicotine pouches maps the whole segment.
Should I start with Killa or Pablo if I am new to pouches?
Neither. These are extreme strengths made for experienced adults. The mild collection is a far more sensible starting point while you work out what suits you.
