Tobacco News KT&G releases Tonino Lamborghini cigarettes This month sees the launch of a new cigarette brand from KT&G developed as the result of a collaboration with the well known Italian luxury brand. The world’s first Tonino Lamborghini cigarettes contain premium smoking leaf tobacco—which represents only about 2% of the leaves grown in the world—and South European Orient leaves. KT&G says that the cigarettes offer “a soft throat and enriched taste,” and are designed to retain the optimal level of moisture for an improved smoking experience. Other high-end features include what KT&G calls an embossed “lip release filter.” The product features the familiar Toro emblem on the top of the package, the charismatic symbol of the Lamborghini family, to express strength, progressiveness and exclusivity. Two variants of Tonino Lamborghini have been released—L6 (6.0 mg of tar) and L8 (8.0mg of tar). Tonino Lamborghini will be available at China, Singapore and Hong Kong Airports from September 2012. Also new this year from KT&G is Bohem Mojito Double. Bohem is made of 30% premium cigar leaves, giving the brand a unique taste and aroma. Showcasing a vintage package design, KT&G says that Bohem Mojito Double is targeted toward stylish professionals who prefer a refined smoke. Lastly, Asia Duty Free spoke recently with In-Sun Hwang, KT&G’s General Manager, about the company’s performance so far this year. “We are doing quite well in the Asia Pacific region,” he said.
Tonino Lamborghini cigarettes were designed to be premium in every way and will be released this month at select airports throughout the Asia Pacific region
“Our top brand Esse is doing very well with Asian customers and has become a clear leader among the world’s superslim cigarettes.” Hwang notes that Chinese and Korean nationalities make up the lion’s share of KT&G’s customers. While the company has enjoyed success throughout the Asia Pacific region, its brands are particularly popular in airports in China, Hong Kong and Japan.
JTI re-imagines iconic Mild Seven brand On the heels of solid first half numbers, Japan Tobacco recently announced a complete redesign and name change for global flagship brand (GFB) Mild Seven. The brand will now be called Mevius and have a globally unified design. With active investment to strengthen brand equity and a greater presence around the world, Mevius is aiming to become the number one global premium brand. Mild Seven, known for its smooth cigarettes with a clean finish, has been the best selling brand in Japan since 1978, a year after it was launched. JTI plans to roll out the new name and design across Japan, introducing the globally unified design in November 2012 while retaining the Mild Seven name, followed by the launch of the Mevius brand name in February 2013. Internationally, Mild Seven enjoys consumer popularity in markets including Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia and Russia. In markets where the new package design has been introduced, it already enjoys consumer popularity. The company plans geographic expansion after completing
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introductions of the new brand in existing international markets over the next 12 months. “The JT Group targets sustainable profit growth in the mid to long term, based on the ‘4S’ management principle of satisfying and fulfilling our responsibilities towards consumers, shareholders, employees and wider society,” said Mitsuomi Koizumi, President and Chief Executive Officer of JTI. “Tobacco is our core business and profit growth engine. By prioritizing investment in this business for quality top line growth and stronger business sustainability, we are targeting our tobacco business to grow EBITDA by mid to high single digits per year over the medium to long term. “Mevius is moving forward with a new name across the world, a unified global design and an expanded product portfolio in order to command a greater international presence by enhancing brand equity, aiming to become the number one global premium brand,” Koizumi concluded. JTI says Mild Seven is “moving forward with a new name across the world, a unified global design and an expanded product portfolio in order to command a greater international presence”