Djarum
Djarum gives smoking
Djarum was the first to internationally market brown and black paper kretek
a creative edge Over 60 years in the making, the company sits at the forefront of the industry with innovations in cigarette making
T
he clove cigarette, commonly called kretek, was developed in the late 19th century in the city of Kudus, Central Java. It was here that a man named H. Jamahri rubbed on his chest an ointment made of clove oil that provided temporary relief from recurring chest pains. Soothed by its warm yet refreshing sensation, Jamahri proceeded to blend a pinch of clove cuttings with tobacco so he could also feel the clove work in his chest when smoking the blend. And as legend has it, Jamahri’s chest pains disappeared and word of the mixture quickly spread throughout Kudus. Named kretek after the crackling sound of the cloves, Jamahri's mixture grew to be the backbone of his hometown’s economy and put Kudus on the map as the capital of kretek. Fostering the tradition of kretek making, Oei Wie Gwan established Djarum’s first workshop in 1951 in Kudus. With only 70 pairs of skillful hands and just enough handrolling equipment, Oei oversaw the selection and blending of cloves and tobacco. To ensure consistent quality, it was not uncommon to find Oei on the shop floor personally supervising each worker. After Oei’s passing in 1963, his sons Bambang and Budi Hartono took over the company.
Gaining devotees After the introduction of machine-rolling technology in 1970, Djarum’s growth catapulted. Today, Djarum is made of 86,000 employees and the factory in Kudus has a production capacity of 60 billion sticks per annum. In Indonesia, kretek dominates the cigarette market at 92%; the remaining is made of white cigarettes. Kretek also has a significant contribution to cigarette sales in neighboring countries, such as Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. Today, the Djarum blend of kretek is available in South East Asia, Japan, Europe, North, Central and South America, the Middle East, South Africa and Australia.
Winning blends Djarum pioneered the production of low-tar, low-nicotine kretek with its Djarum Lights brand, which was especially created for the North American market. Djarum also pioneered the art of kretek cigarillos with its Djarum Cigarillos brand. Presently available in five continents, Djarum was the first to internationally market brown and black paper kretek as well as produce vanilla- and cherry-flavored kretek blends. Today, Djarum menthol, Djarum
Djarum was also the first to produce vanilla- and cherryflavored kretek blends
vanilla and Djarum cherry are enjoyed by consumers in some European countries. In addition, Djarum invented an advanced clove processing technology known as Superfine Clove. At home, Djarum Super is recognized as being among the most premium priced filtered kretek. Djarum Super is currently the brand most preferred by young kretek consumers in Indonesia. In Europe, Djarum Black and Djarum Special are the two most popular kretek brands.
A kretek legacy As the most recognized kretek brand to come out of Kudus, Djarum actively donates to the preservation and cultivation of the kretek museum located in the brand's hometown. Environment has also been a main concern of Djarum. One of its successes was mountain Muria reforestation in Kudus, Central Java. Once a barren land, Mountain Muria now has 30,000 trees. Other achievements include a plantation of 80,000 mango trees in Kudus. Since 1984, Djarum has granted scholarships to 5,000 students. Recipients from provinces throughout Indonesia are provided with funding to attend either private or public institutions in Indonesia. Since 1968, Djarum has become an active member of the sports community and funded the making of Indonesia’s future badminton world champions. PB Djarum, the Djarum badminton club in Kudus, is recognized as one of the strongest and most respected clubs in the country. Djarum’s successes have been consistent, the most significant occurring at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics—the winners of the gold, silver and bronze medals in the c men’s singles were trained by PB Djarum as youths. www.dutyfreemagazine.ca ASIA DUTY FREE & TRAVEL RETAILING
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