Tobacco International – March 2020

tobaccointernational.com

The authority on the tobacco industry since 1886 March 2020

Manufacturing Cigarettes

Mohawk-Style in Upstate New York THERE’S STILL A LOT OF LIFE IN NEXT GENERATION PRODUCTS

WHY THE FRENCH TOBACCO MARKET KEEPS DECLINING

MYANMAR’S SMALL CIGARETTE MARKET: POISED TO GROW?

ARE THE GLORY DAYS OVER FOR DARK TOBACCO?

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March 2020

TI TABLE OF CONTENTS

A LOCKWOOD PUBLICATION

tobaccointernational.com

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The authority on the tobacco industry since 1886 March 2020

14 28 Manufacturing Cigarettes

Mohawk-Style in Upstate New York THERE’S STILL A LOT OF LIFE IN NEXT GENERATION PRODUCTS

WHY THE FRENCH TOBACCO MARKET KEEPS DECLINING

MYANMAR’S SMALL CIGARETTE MARKET: POISED TO GROW?

ARE THE GLORY DAYS OVER FOR DARK TOBACCO?

TI_Mar20_CVR1.indd 1

3/30/20 12:27 AM

ON THE COVER

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FEATURES 14

Why the French Tobacco Market Just Keeps on Declining. By Eugene Gerden

18

The Enchanting Republic of Myanmar: It is a relatively small cigarette market, but is poised to grow.

By Dr. Iqbal Lambat

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Is It Time to Rethink Our Attitudes to Smoking and Lung Cancer? An appreciation of two significant memoirs for the tobacco industry and its smokers.

By Bob Crew

A Mohawk woman does quality control on a pack of Signal cigarettes at the Ohserase cigarette factory on the Mohawk reservation in upstate New York.

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Manufacturing cigarettes Mohawkstyle. How members of the Mohawk tribe in upstate New York manufacture their own special brand of tobacco products.

By Christopher Bickers

30

Industry Opinions: BAT asks “What Should Be the Basis of a Modern Sustainability Strategy?” And Imperial Brands says there’s still a lot of Life in Next Generation Products.

DEPARTMENTS 8

Editorial

10 TI Digest 33 Leaf News 34 Calendar, Advertiser Index To reuse Tobacco International material, ISSN: 0049-3945 (print), ISSN: 2331-8481 (online), access www.copyright.com for the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400.

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TI EDITORIAL

PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Robert M. Lockwood EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE SIGNALS ARE POSITIVE FOR A MOHAWK TOBACCO BUSINESS

Christopher Bickers

I have had the opportunity to visit many cigarette factories over my years in tobacco journalism, but I think the most interesting I ever saw is Ohserase Manufacturing on the Mohawk Reservation in northern New York. It is so far north, you could say it is the last place you can be in New York and not be in Canada, which is just a few miles away across the St. Lawrence River. Ohserase is taking a new direction with its flagship brand Signal. I had certainly never seen a cigarette line manned primarily by Native Americans. Get the whole story and see some of the pictures I took starting on page 28.

Another exotic setting: Our Turkish correspondent Dr. Iqbal Lambat, CEO Star Agritech International, provides a delightful change of pace with a report on his recent travel to Myanmar, a colorful Asian country that hasn’t been much of a customer for American tobacco but may become one soon.

France, on the other hand, is not likely to be much of a customer of any in the tobacco business. The number of people regularly smoking in France has declined since 2017. See “The French Tobacco Market Keeps on Declining,” page 14.

Among leaf types, at least in the United States, dark fire-cured and dark air-cured have enjoyed consistent demand for quite a long time. But that may be changing.

USDA estimated that production of dark types in the U.S. fell nearly 18 percent from 2018 (85 million pounds) to 2019 (70 million pounds). It apparently will drop again in 2020. See “Are the Good Years Over for Dark Tobacco?” page 32.

Divergent opinions: Sustainability must be the basis of any tobacco company strategy for company purpose, and Jack Bowles, CEO of BAT, says reducing the health impact of its products is the key. “I firmly believe it will lead to a better tomorrow…for society. See our guest editorial page on page 30 which also includes a piece from Imperial Brands that predicts that Next Generation Products still have plenty of life in them.

And see page 22 for Bob Crews essay on two recent books touching on lung cancer.

Melinda Ayala

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

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CONTRIBUTORS INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO

Dr. Iqbal Lambat (ISTANBUL,

TURKEY)

ECONOMIC COLUMNIST

John Parker (RICHMOND,

VIRGINIA)

REGIONAL

Mumtaz Ahmad (ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN) Diamantis Chras (PIRAEUS, GREECE) Bob Crew (LONDON, ENGLAND) Eugene Gerden (MOSCOW, RUSSIA) Guido Jungbluth (SANTA CRUZ DO SUL, BRAZIL) Manfred Körner (HAMBURG, GERMANY) M. Rifaat Naguib (CAIRO, EGYPT) Vladislav Vorotnikov (MOSCOW, RUSSIA)

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— Christopher Bickers, Editor-In-Chief Volume 20, No. 2 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL (ISSN 0049-3945 print; ISSN 2331-8481 online), established in 1886, is published eight times a year, with four monthly issues (March, June, September, and December) and four combined issues (January/February, April/May, July/August, and October/November) plus a directory issue published in January of each year by Lockwood Trade Journal Co., Inc., 3743 Crescent Street, Second Floor, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA. Officers: Robert M. Lockwood, president and treasurer. Subscription rates: USA— US$49 per year, US$74 for two years; US$109 for three years. Canada—US$59 per year, US$89 for two years, US$134 for three years. All other countries: International Surface Mail—US$89 per year; US$139 for two years; US$199 for three years. International AirMail—US$129 per year; US$199 for two years; US$289 for three years. Single copy price: US$15. Annual Buyers’ Guide & Directory: US$45, plus shipping. Copyright ©2020 by Lockwood Publications, Inc. The contents of TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL may not be reprinted except by permission. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL, P.O. Box 424, Congers, NY 10920-0430, USA.

8 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

solutions

TI DIGEST PMI Temporarily Suspends JT Recognized for Women Operations at Manufacturing Empowerment in its Workplace Technology in Bologna

and ensure continuity of supply to our customers and consumers.”

tokyo—Japan Tobacco has been recognized by ‘Nadeshiko Brand’ for its second consecutive year and its third overall. ‘Nadeshiko Brand’ is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange for the purpose of recognizing enterprises that empower women in their workplaces. In addition, it emphasizes the evaluation of corporate governance starting 2020, considering the importance of enhancing the supervisory functions of the Board of Directors.

UNITED KINGDOM

JAPAN

SWITZERLAND Babeau Joins PMI as CFO lausanne—PMI announced on March 2 that Emmanuel Babeau had been appointed chief financial officer, replacing Martin King.

Babeau will join PMI on May 1, coming from Schneider Electric, where he served most recently as Deputy CEO in charge of Finance and Legal Affairs. A native of France and graduate of ESCP Business School, he has spent nearly three decades leading fundamental change across industries.

“We are thrilled that Emmanuel will be joining us to further accelerate the PMI transformation towards a smokefree future,” said Calantzopoulos. “He has an enviable track record of challenging the status quo and growing businesses under the most complex circumstances.”

Earlier, Babeau spent 15 years at Pernod Ricard, including six years as Group CFO. “PMI is precisely the challenge I was looking for,” Babeau commented.

“A global leader in its industry with a commitment to fundamental change, and one that is prompted not only by business strategy but also by a desire to operate more sustainably and in the interest of public health.”

lausanne—Philip Morris International planned to implement a temporary suspension of its operations at Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology Bologna, Italy due to the ongoing situation regarding COVID-19. In agreement with social partners, the Company has decided to suspend production for a period of one week, out of an abundance of caution and to support the government’s efforts to limit propagation of COVID-19.

The company will monitor the situation with a view to restarting operations as soon as possible, subject to government requirements.

Although several governments have mandated production facilities to temporarily suspend their operations, currently for periods from one to two weeks, PMI does not currently expect out-of-stock situations in any major operating income markets and believes consumers still have adequate access to its products.

As part of its ongoing business continuity plans, there are adequate inventories of PMI finished goods, on average across all markets, of over two months for heated tobacco units (“HTUs”), over three months for tobacco heating devices, and over one and a half months for cigarettes, based on sales trends recorded prior to the situation generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In this unprecedented global situation, our primary concern remains the health and safety of our colleagues, their families, and the communities in which we operate,” said Jacek Olczak, PMI Chief Operating Officer. “We have therefore decided to temporarily suspend operations at our facility near Bologna. We are committed to doing our part and have taken a number of steps over the last two months to protect our people

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A New Credit Facility for BAT london—British American Tobacco (BAT) has signed a new £6 billion multi-currency revolving credit facility.

The new facility replaces BAT’s existing £6 billion revolving credit facility and is provided by a syndicate of 21 banks.

This is the first widely syndicated credit facility executed globally to be linked to both the Sterling Overnight Index Average (SONIA) and the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR).

Neil Wadey, Group Head of Treasury at BAT, said, “I am delighted that BAT has been able to lead the transition to a post LIBOR environment with this broadly syndicated facility. Supported by our bank group, this transaction has helped build new conventions for both SONIA and SOFR benchmarks, bringing clarity and certainty to our relationship with the loan market.”

The new facility consists of a £3 billion 364-day facility and a £3 billion five-year facility, and is principally used for backstop liquidity purposes. Barclays

Martin King, Chief Executive Officer, PMI America.

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TI DIGEST

UNITED STATES Altria Suspends Operations at PM USA Center After Two Employees Test Positive For COVID-19 richmond, va.—Altria temporarily suspended operations at PM USA’s Manufacturing Center in Richmond, Va., after learning that a second PM USA employee had tested positive for COVID-19. The suspension was expected to last two weeks, though PM USA was monitoring the evolving situation.

The company believes it has sufficient finished goods cigarette inventory for approximately two months based on current estimated shipping volume in addition to current wholesale and retail inventories.

Separately, some Middleton domestic operations will also be suspended for two weeks due to COVID-19 related supply chain constraints. Mid-

Bank and HSBC acted as joint coordinators for the facility. Herbert Smith Freehill acted as legal counsel for BAT and Allen & Overy acted as legal counsel for the banks.

UNITED STATES King to Lead PMI in America lausanne—Philip Morris International, Inc. has promoted it chief financial officer to a new position overseeing the U.S. market.

PMI’s former chief financial officer, Martin King, is now chief executive officer of PMI America and will coordinate both international services based in the U.S. as well as all U.S. representation, including PMI’s relationship with Altria. Altria is commercializing PMI’s “heat-not-burn” IQOS in the American market. King will report to global PMI CEO André Calantzopoulos.

Altria launched IQOS in the U.S. in September through a partnership with Philip Morris. The device is available in

dleton believes it has sufficient finished goods cigar inventory for approximately three months based on current estimated shipping volume, in addition to current wholesale and retail inventories.

“We are committed to protecting the safety and well-being of our employees, contractors, their families and the communities where we operate,” said Billy Gifford, Altria’s Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer. “We take the threat of COVID-19 seriously and have been actively implementing plans to minimize business disruptions and their potential impact to our employees, consumers and customers.”

During this two-week suspension of plant operations, PM USA and Mid-

Atlanta and Richmond, Virginia.

“PMI is undergoing a period of intensive change as we transition away from cigarettes to our science-based smoke-free products—products that are much better alternatives than continued cigarette smoking,” said André Calantzopoulos, CEO of PMI.

No Incentive Award for Altria CEO richmond—The CEO of Altria Group Chief Executive Officer Howard Willard has been denied an annual incentive award because of the deteriorating position of its investment in the e-cigarette company Juul Labs.

“The Compensation Committee considered the significant impact that Altria’s 2018 minority investment in JUUL Labs, Inc. has had on shareholder value. As a result...Willard should not receive an award under the Annual Incentive Plan for 2019,” the company said in a regulatory filing.

12 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

dleton will pay employees their regular base wages. PM USA and Middleton will evaluate providing additional pay continuation beyond that timeframe as needed.

One of the infected employees was CEO Howard Williard. He elected to take a temporary medical leave of absence, and Billy Gifford assumed all the duties of CEO (in addition to his duties as CFO) until Williard recovers.

British American Tobacco, meanwhile, had experienced “limited impact” from COVID-19 as of March 18, its chief executive said.

“We are fortunate that our business is resilient and is supported by a geographically diversified supply chain from both a manufacturing and distribution standpoint,” Jack Bowles said.

There were no plans to cease operating any of its facilities.

Willard’s salary in 2020 will be only his $1.25 million base salary.

Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes Get FDA Review williamsville, n.y.—22nd Century Group, Inc. met on Feb. 14 with the U.S. FDA’s Product Scientific Advisory Committee to present the Company’s Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) application for its proprietary, reduced nicotine content cigarettes.

“22nd Century is poised to significantly disrupt the $100 billion U.S. tobacco industry,” said Mike Zercher, President of 22nd Century Group. “We believe the FDA is likely to reach a decision on our MRTP application sometime in the second quarter of this year.

The FDA’s potential authorization of our MRTP application would be the culmination of years of effort and the investment of millions of dollars by the Company and could lead to the launch of VLN as soon as this year.”

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FRANCE

French Tobacco Market Keeps on Declining The number of people regularly smoking in France has declined since 2017. By Eugene Gerden, TI Russian Correspondent 14 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

he government of France has taken measures aimed at reducing the consumption of tobacco products and the number of smokers in the country, and it is preparing to seek to enact more, according to recent statements made by senior officials of the French Ministry of Health and representatives of local public.

T

tion (INPES), since 2017 the number of people regularly smoking in France has declined by almost 1,6 million people (-12%) and, it is expected, the same trend will continue to be observed in the coming years.

According to Amelie Eschenbrenner, a spokeswoman for the French National Committee on Tobacco Control (CNCT), the achievement of such results were mainly due to smart policy which has been implemented by the national government in the field of tobacco products and their consumption in recent years.

Most important Probably the most important measure in this field involved a significant increase of prices for cigarettes and tobacco products in France in the last several years.

At present the cost of a cigarette pack in the country is estimated at 8.5 euros. But prices are significantly higher (up to EUR 25) in the French major tourism hotspots, such as Cote d’-Azur.

As part of the state’s plans, the minimum price for a cigarette pack in the country will reach 10 euros.

That will be the seventh revision of tobacco prices in France since the election of President Emmanuel Macron in

A typical tobacco shop in Paris.

Already in recent years, France has achieved a big success in its campaign against smoking, and the effect has been negative on the revenue of tobacco majors and sellers.

In regard to consumption, according to a recent study conducted by the experts of the French National Institute for Prevention and Health Educa-

mented in the French tobacco market in recent years, are the introduction of similar packs for all cigarettes’ brands and the provision of compensation for those customers, who prefer tobacco substitutes and various alternatives to traditional cigarettes.

The ongoing fight with smoking in the country, however, has already had a negative effect on the French tobacco industry and resulted in the closure of many tobacco stores throughout the country and forced many producers to significantly cut their local range. The latter, in turn, has resulted in the growth of the illegal segment of the market.

2019: Contraband record According to recent data provided by the French Ministry of Internal Affairs, 2019 became the record year in the modern history of France, in terms of tobacco contraband in the local market.

According to French Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2019 360 tonnes of contraband tobacco products were confiscated in the local market, almost 49% higher than in 2018. In value terms, these figures were equivalent to EUR 162 million.

According to state data, at present the volume of contraband in the French to-

According to recent data provided by the French Ministry of Internal Affairs, 2019 became the record year in the modern history of France, in terms of tobacco contraband in the local market.

May 2017. Before, there had been four years of price stability.

Ironically, it is the tobacco industry that sets its prices. But the government can stimulate an increase by changing taxes, which make up more than 80% of the final price of a cigarette pack.

In the meantime, among the other state measures which have been imple-

bacco market is steadily growing, despite the recent tightening of responsibility in this field. That was in the form of a recent decree, which was approved by the French government (on December, 2019) and resulted in the imposition of a fine for the purchase of illegal cigarettes in the amount of 135 euros, as well as EUR 1000 to 5000 for their sales.

MARCH 2020 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL

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FRANCE In regard to tobacco sales, according to recent data of the French Le Dauphiné Libéré business paper in 2018 sales of cigarettes and tobacco products in France in 2018 fell by 9.32%, compared to 2017.

Such a decline has become significantly more intense: in 2017 tobacco sales in France fell by 1.48%, and by 1.2% in 2016. While the official results for 2019 have not yet been disclosed, most of local analysts believe the rate of decline in 2019 is generally comparable to those, which was observed in 2018.

In 2018, tobacco factories in France delivered 40.23 billion cigarettes to the local market, compared to 44.36 billion in 2017.

cline in 2019 is generally comparable to those, which was observed in 2018.

In 2018, tobacco factories in France delivered 40.23 billion cigarettes to the local market, compared to 44.36 billion in 2017.

According to a recent report of the UK Financial Times, more than one quarter, or 8,500, of all tobacco shops have been shut in France for the last five to seven years, due to the active French anti-tobacco policy. Of those that remain, 40 per cent are located in towns with the population of less than 3,500 inhabitants.

In recent years, the state’s strict a nt i-tobac c o p ol ic y h a s a l re ady sparked serious protests from local

According to a recent report of the UK Financial Times, more than one quarter, or 8,500, of all tobacco shops have been shut in France for the last five to seven years, due to the active French anti-tobacco policy.

According to a recent report of the UK Financial Times, more than one quarter, or 8,500, of all tobacco shops have been shut in France for the last five to seven years, due to the active French anti-tobacco policy. Of those that remain, 40 per cent are located in towns with the population of less than 3,500 inhabitants.

In recent years, the state’s strict a nt i-tobac c o p ol ic y h a s a l re ady sparked serious protests from local sellers who burnt mountains of cigarettes in town squares to protest Chirac’s War on Cancer; in 2015 and 2017 protest plain cigarette packaging and cigarette price rises. Such a decline has become signif icantly more intense: in 2017 tobacco sales in France fell by 1.48%, and by 1.2% in 2016.

While the off icial results for 2019 have not yet been disclosed, most of local analysts believe the rate of de-

16 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

sellers who burnt mountains of cigarettes in town squares to protest Chirac’s War on Cancer; in 2015 and 2017 protest plain cigarette packaging and cigarette price rises.

The increase in tobacco prices in the republic also forces French smokers to turn to purchasing cigarettes abroad.

According to the study in 2018, one out of five adult smokers in France purchased their last pack of cigarettes in a neighboring country.

One of highest smoking rates in EU Still, despite the ongoing fight with smoking, the number of regular smokers in the country is estimated at 25.4% (along with 6.6% who smoke from time to time). This is one of the highest rates of smoking in the European Union, behind Greece and Bulgaria. Sweden has the lowest proportion at seven percent, according to the EU.

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ASIA

Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar.

18 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

The Enchanting Republic of Myanmar TI’s International correspondent spent 10 days in January finding out about the mystique and magic of the small countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal. In this first article, he examines the Peoples Republic of the Union of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

By Dr. Iqbal Lambat, CEO Star Agritech Internationa yanmar, a country of 53 million inhabitants, with Yangon as its capital, has been center stage from the South East Asian perspective for many reasons.

First, it gained its independence from the British in 1948 but was soon overtaken by a brutal military junta and ruled in oppression as a military state.

The country descended into political chaos as on the one hand An Sang Suu Kyi with her Democratic party fought tooth and nail against the military junta to take control of the country.

Sadly, in a worldwide display, Ang San Suu Kyi was placed under “house arrest” for some 21 years. During that time, she received the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace. After she was finally released into the civilian society, she campaigned successfully to become Myanmar’s next leader. But the military forced her into a power-sharing relationship, and with limited freedom, her impact on the political and economic front has been lackluster. Nowhere has this been more significantly displayed than in her lack of support for the Rohingya Muslim minority who have been the target of genocide by the military junta in 1918 and continuing. (And as I write this story, the criminal court of war crimes in the Hague has just issued a ruling to protect the 700,000 Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar from further genocidal attacks. Let us hope it is successful.)

M

But it may not: Ang San Suu Kyi was a key witness in this trial, but she defended (!) the military Junta by claiming that no genocide had occurred (!) It is enormously sad for one of the shining examples of fighters for human rights to become tainted by a predatory military. Many are now calling for the Nobel committee to retract her Peace Prize award.

The state of the tobacco market The total number of smokers in Myanmar is estimated at 10 million, mostly male. Total cigarette consumption is estimated at 12 billion sticks per annum (100,000 master cases per month). The market is essentially Virginia blend, mostly in King size format. The main participants in the market are the Myanmar Government,

successful in taking market leadership.

Rather, the military junta, through the Virginia Tobacco Company, has secured a 40 percent market share with its brand Red Ruby. Other brands on the market are Winston, Mevius, Dunhill, many local brands and, sporadically, Marlboro.

For PMI, this country is not friendly to bona fide American blends.

Tobacco is also consumed here in alternative forms, notably chewing, the market of which can sometimes be as large as the cigarette market. Main products here are Pan and Betel nut.

Product pricing in Myanmar is affordable with Premium cigarettes valued at 2,000 MMK (USD 1.75) per pack of 20; Mid-Price at 1,000 MMK (USD 0.65) per pack of 20, and Value Price at 500 MMK (USD 0.32) per pack of 20.

With Red Ruby at MMK 500 per pack—thus in the most popular price class (MPPC)—it is strongly positioned to control market dynamics.

But distribution is fragmented and consists of: • a few mini market type outlets where brands are visible, • several small grocery type outlets and • a multitude of mobile table top vendors.

Regulation is very present in that cigarette packs must carry on the front panel, back panel and both side panels, health warnings that cover 80 percent of all respective surfaces. which holds a controlling share through its ownership of the Virginia Tobacco Company. It is followed by British American Tobacco (BAT), then to a significantly lesser extent Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and some local private players.

While BAT has lobbied hard at political and private levels, it has not been

Few brands The number of brands is rather small making all immediately visible in any display. Regulation is very present in that cigarette packs must carry on the front panel, back panel and both side panels, health warnings that cover 80 percent of all respective surfaces. In addition, health warnings must use draconian pictograms

MARCH 2020 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL

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ASIA

In Bhutan, When They Say “No Smoking,” They Mean It Squeezed in between Nepal, Bangladesh and China, Bhutan has been mysteriously linked in the seventies as a gateway to the Indian cigarette market. A Buddhist kingdom on the Himalayas’ eastern edge, it is known for its monasteries, fortresses (or dzongs) and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys.

In the High Himalayas, peaks such as 7,326-meter Jomolhari are popular trekking destinations.

The Paro Taktsang monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest) clings to cliffs above the forested Paro Valley.

Bhutan has a population of slightly less than a million inhabitants.

The Bhutanese give Gross National Happiness preference over Gross Domestic Product.

And most necessarily, smoking on a regular basis does not make anyone happy, not even the smoker,

whose life always remains in danger.

So smoking is, by law, prohibited in the country under the Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010.

The law prohibits smoking and the use of tobacco in any form in public areas such as dzongs, chortens, parks, hotels, restaurants, markets, cinema halls etc. Public transports, such as buses, are also under non-smoking zones. The act not only bans the use of tobacco products but also bans its cultivation, harvesting and sale in the country. No one is allowed to produce or sell tobacco products in the country. Imprisonment of three to five years is allotted to anyone who is found using or selling tobacco in public.

After the enactment of this law, there were 60 arrests in the country because of the sale or possession of tobacco products in almost a year. The first was that of a monk The warning labels on Myanmar cigarettes are truly graphic. Here, the picture of a sick smoker nearly crowds out the brand logo on a pack of Red Ruby’s, the most popular brand in the country.

representing 50 percent of the front and back panel. (These are very eye-catching but have proven to be of little deterrence in the battle to curb smoking).

Myanmar’s administrative capital, Nay Pyi Taw, has designated no-smoking areas as part of its effort to control cigarettes and tobacco. The Nay Pyi Taw Council has prohibited smoking in hospitals and office compounds, air-conditioned restaurants, teashops, drink shops and bars, department stores, grocery stores and private markets.

Also included in the no-smoking zones are food courts, and teashops and

20 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

named Sonam Tshering in Haa who was found guilty of possessing 480 grams of chewing tobacco. He was imprisoned for three years. And following this, there were many arrests that took place.

This led to outrage among the public, and, in January 2011, certain amendments were made to the act. The amount of permitted tobacco a person can own was increased, so that people can possess more tobacco products with less penalty being imposed on them: 300 cigarettes, 400 beedis, 50 cigars and 250 grams of other tobacco products in a month at a time.

As these cannot be purchased locally, they will be purchased abroad, notably from India.

But the pendulum may swing back the other way in the near future. At the time of writing this article, the new President of Bhutan, Lotay Tshering, a medical doctor by profession, has vowed to completely ban tobacco consumption in Bhutan, even in private homes.

—Iqbal Lambat drink shops in markets that have roofs and walls (in other words, covered).

Playgrounds, public halls, classrooms, teaching and private tuition facilities, guesthouses and boarding houses are also no-smoking areas. It also issued regulations that cigarettes must not be sold within 100 feet of a school, that cigarette packs must contain no more and no less than 20 cigarettes and that 18 is the minimum age to buy cigarettes.

Myanmar is a relatively small cigarette market, but that seems likely to change as the country is poised for growth, Livelihoods are likely to improve, disposable income is likely to increase, and alternative tobacco consumers may well switch to the convenience of factory manufactured cigarettes.

BOOKS Left: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, 2016, Random House, was a New York Times bestseller and Pulitzer Prize Finalist.

Is It Time to Rethink Our Attitudes to Smoking and Lung Cancer?

An appreciation of two significant books for the tobacco industry and its smokers.

Bob Crew, London Correspondent

22 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

When Breath Becomes Air,

By Paul Kalanithi.

This is a factual and autobiographical book—published in 2016 and entitled When Breath Becomes Air—that is significant for the tobacco industry and its smokers because it confirms and reminds us that lung cancer is not necessarily or indeed always or at all caused by smoking tobacco.

It was written by Dr. Paul Kalanithi, a medical doctor—a young brain surgeon in the United States, as it happens—who died of lung cancer in 2015 without ever having smoked a single cigarette in his life or inhaled any secondary smoke.

This makes one think, does it not?

The book takes its title from a poem by the Elizabethan and Jacobean poet, dramatist and biographer in 17th-century England, Fulke Greville.

“You that seek what life is in death/ Now find it air that once was breath.”

He was educated at the University of Cambridge in the southeast of England and died of stab wounds. Or rather, he died when his doctors treated the wounds with pig fat that turned rancid and infected his blood.

One can well imagine Greville on his death bed, when told that his physicians are going to ‘disinfect’ his wounds with pig fat, thinking to himself “mein-gott and pigs may fly.”

But this 2015 book about life and death and medical surgery is not about tobacco in relation to smoking and never mentions the subject at all (not even in passing). It is all about, rather, the author’s agonizing, premature death by lung cancer at only 37 years of age, when he was on the verge of a bril-

BOOKS liant career and trying to save the lives of his lung cancer patients—but we are inevitably reminded when reading this very moving and revealing book that there are smokers in this world who live to a ripe old age even though they smoke like chimneys, while others die prematurely of lung cancer even though they have never smoked; others such as the author of this book, Dr. Kalanithi, a U.S. citizen of Tamil origin and son of an Indian medical doctor who emigrated to the United States and got Paul educated there at the Yale School of Medicine. He later got additional degrees at Stanford University and Cambridge University in English literature, human biology and history (which is doubtless where Greville gets a look in) and philosophy of medicine.

Phew!

Before he died of lung cancer, brilliant young Kalanithi received the American Academy of Neurological Surgery’s highest award for research, and the fact that he died of lung cancer unrelated to tobacco (as others also do) makes this is a significant book for smokers and their providers because it lends power to their argument of how wrong it is for smokers to be stigmatized in the public eye for their ‘irresponsible’ smoking habit and to be morally/ethically condemned therefore as irresponsible by public opinion.

But this is not to say that the health risks of smoking should not be brought to the attention of the public, just that our politicians, legislators, doctors and health campaigners should not be allowed to go over the top and get smoking alone out of pro-

This is not to say that the health risks of smoking should not be brought to the attention of the public, just that our politicians, legislators, doctors and health campaigners should not be allowed to go over the top and get smoking alone out of proportion.

This book is not just about the theory and practice of medicine, but also about its implications and considerations as well (thankfully written in very easy-to-read lay terms).

Predictably, this is a chiefly a philosophical book about life and death in relation to biology and medical matters affecting us all, and, by very clear implication, it also happens to the philosophical level of awareness, consideration and debate about whether or not to smoke, to much higher levels than those that we get in the lowly political arena, not just in the United States, but worldwide. This was not the intention of the book, if we think about it, but this is what it does.

portion. For example, would you expect to have it engraved on the license plate of every car or printed on every airline ticket that you purchase how many people die in road accidents or air crashes? Should aircraft be obliged by law to have emblazoned on their fuselage how many crashes an airline has had, and how its flights are massively contributing to global warming and climate change that is destroying planet earth and bringing it to an end, etc, etc, etc?

But should such punishing and scary new laws—could such laws— ever be passed to this effect in the United States and other parts of the world?

24 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

I don’t think so!

For sure, it’s high time to rethink all these matters in this world of all-too-familiar double-standards that get conveniently overlooked, double-standards from which we all suffer in one way or another for one reason or another.

It is estimated that 20 percent of those that die of lung cancer in the U.S. are non-smokers. If that is the case, the fatality figures that are used to stigmatize smokers and the tobacco companies who provide for them are inflated, so this, too, is significant for obvious reasons…significant all over the world where there are tobacco markets and industries and plenty of lung cancer deaths.

We are told by Tracy Simon at the American Cancer Society that “if lung cancer in non-smokers had its own separate category, it would rank among the top 10 fatal cancers in the United States..... While it’s true that staying away from tobacco is the most important thing any of us can do to lower our risk of getting lung cancer, there are also other risk factors. And some people who get lung cancer have no known risk factors.”

Paul Kalinithi’s book is about what makes life worth living in the face of death and what one does or might do when one’s life it catastrophically interrupted.

I agree with the critics who have described this book as one of a handful of books that could be recommended to anyone, everyone, and one that is indeed extraordinary, remarkable and luminous.

And it is this higher reflection on life and its purpose that, in my opinion, determines whether people decide to smoke or not and whether they should be free to do so without being stigmatized and socially discriminated against and punished for ‘their sins,’ right?

QUALITY CUT RAG for a PERFECT SMOKE

from Latin America

ŋĈŸĴûÝō ńĈōāž ÉĴŸġĴōĴÝ ńĈōāž "ƍžƇŕŋĴƳĈā ńĈōāž

www.staragritech.com

info@staragritech.com

BOOKS Letters to a Contrarian,

by Christopher Hitchens.

There is another book about this subject by the English-American intellectual and author, Christopher Hitchens, entitled Letters To A Contrarian. It is a very defiant and well-considered book about our right to do our own smoking and/or boozing or whatever in this life, a book that was published in 2001, before Christopher finally died, cheerfully and without complaint, of throat cancer.

Oxford-educated, Hitchens never made any secret of or apology for his philosophy concerning his right to responsibly enjoy his life on his own terms and by his own lights, regardless of the health risks, by which he refused to be tyrannized; a philosophy which, in his case, finished him off in his early sixties, as he attempted to defy his throat cancer disease that turned out to be undefiable, not that this bothered him overmuch. Even though he had a good crack at surviving it when the time came just as Kalinithi had a good but unsuccessful crack at defying his lung cancer disease.

26 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

This Contrarian book, too, I would suggest, is a book that is significant for smokers and the tobacco industry that provides for them.

Interestingly, Hitchens refers to the 17-century Greville in his book with yet another quote from a line of poet’s text, reminding us by this coincidence, how durable and influential can be the influence of classical poetry and/or literature for eternity (or for more than three centuries in this case). ”Created sick, commanded to be well,” Greville says by way of Hitchens, and the implications is that those authoritarians among us today who command and/or bully and/or coerce others to be well even if they would rather be sick, or perhaps even dead, should recognize the freedom to make dangerous decisions!

Author’s note: I write as an 80-year-old who has also never smoked, yet got mouth cancer just the same but did manage to defy and survive that disease seventeen years ago, thanks to the brilliant skills of the University College Hospital cancer and radiotherapy doctors and surgeons in the centre of London.

Don’t miss out on the informative and complete coverage of trade news and views provided by Tobacco International – The International Voice of the Tobacco Industry!

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MANUFACTURING The future looks bright for members of the Mohawk tribe who work for Ohserase Manufacturing.

Manufacturing Cigarettes Mohawk-Style How members of a legendary Native American tribe manufacture their own tobacco products in upstate New York. By Christopher Bickers ay up north in upstate New York, so far north that if you take a few steeps the wrong way you find your self in Canada, you will find a cigarette and tobacco products factory managed—and to a large part manned—by members of the historically noteworthy Native American tribe the Mohawks.

They may become even more noteworthy for cigarette production. But first a word or two about the company’s history. It is called Ohserase (the r is sounded as an l) after the Mohawk name of the founder, Eli Tarbell—it means “New Year,” and symbolized a commitment to bring a new era in de-

W

livering quality tobacco products to the consumer. “We have carefully combined the finest tobaccos, high quality materials, state of the art manufacturing equipment, and knowledgeable staff to create a world class product for you to enjoy,” says Justin Tarbell, son of Eli. In the past year, some major changes have been made with Ohserase’s flagship brand, Signal, mainly its packaging.

The packaging just didn’t convey the best attributes: the all-natural blend, containing only tobacco and water, and that the product is Native American-made. The redesign focused on celebrating our heritage of keeping the product pure from additives and other chem-

28 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

icals while showcasing our Native American roots. There is now a Mohawk Brave on the front of each pack and a statement of Ohserase’s tradition of using true tobacco on the back.”We’ve completely remained what a cigarette pack can be,” Tarbell said, noting that stylized representations of Mohawk beadwork have been placed on the pack tops.

Rest assured, the Tarbells—Mohawks themselves—are well familiar with the part that tobacco played in Native American life in the past.

For over 400 years, tobacco has played an important role in Iroquois culture, says Tarbell. “Tobacco has long been a domestic plant grown in small gardens within the village area which the men took primary responsibility for raising.”

Its principal use was as a ceremonial offering thrown into the fire. The rising smoke carried messages of thanksgiving and other “good thoughts” to the Creator.”

“In addition to its religious uses, men smoked tobacco in their pipes,” he said. “It is said that good thoughts came while smoking and therefore was frequently used when important matters were to be discussed and decided.

The first member of the family to get into the business was Theresa “Bear,” matriarch of the Tarbell family, started

The Bear’s Den Trading Post, on the Mohawk reservation in 1953 with two gas pumps and a small Native gift shop.

Eli, Justin’s father, established two convenience stores, adding diesel fuel and a family-style restaurant to the main retail store.

In 2006, Justin—with his brother Brandon—started Ohserase, eventually getting into the manufacturing business.

A final note: If you ever have cause to visit Ohserase (and let me tell you, the staff gives a good tour), you will find yourself in some picturesque and historic land.

The St. Regis Mohawk Reservation is located at Akwesasne (Land Where the Partridge Drums). It lies near the Adirondack Mountains in the St. Lawrence valley.

The Mohawk are one of the Six Nations who joined together in the 1600’s as the Iroquois Confederacy, or also known as the Iroquois League which translates to “League of Peace and Power.” In the Confederacy, the Mohawks are known as the “Keepers of the Eastern Door” and take great pride in this responsibility.

Top: A worker services a machine. Right: Loading cases of cigarettes for transportation.

Left: Ohserase added a heroic-looking Mohawk brave to the front of its cigarette pack, while a sticker celebrating Native American traditions now appears on the back (below).

MARCH 2020 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL

29

INDUSTRY OPINIONS

BAT: Working for a Better Tomorrow “We are transitioning from being a business where sustainability has always been important to one where it is front and center in all that we do.”—Jack Bowles, CEO, BAT BAT has published a new sustainability report based on the group’s evolved strategy to deliver ‘A Better Tomorrow’ by reducing the health impact of its business. It will do this by offering a greater choice of enjoyable and less risky products to consumers.

The Better Tomorrow strategy will involve stretching new targets across the environmental, social and governance (ESG) landscape, including: • Increasing BAT consumers of non-combustible products to 50 million by 2030; • Achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and accelerating our existing environmental targets by 2025; • Eliminating unnecessary single-use plastic and making all plastic packaging recyclable by 2025.

BAT’s new Sustainability Agenda supports the company purpose to deliver A Better Tomorrow with a principal focus on harm reduction, underpinned by excellence across its other ESG priorities. Together, this will drive BAT’s long-term business sustainability and create shared value for consumers, society, employees and shareholders.

Since launching its first vapor products in the UK in 2013, BAT has made significant progress in developing, manufacturing and commercializing a range of new category products. Today, its potentially reduced-risk products are available in 48 markets globally. In 2019, the company grew its New Cate-

gories business by 37% to £1.3 billion.

Jack Bowles, Chief Executive of British American Tobacco, said, “We are transitioning from being a business where sustainability has always been important to one where it is front and center in all that we do. Over the last 20 years, we’ve made significant progress on our sustainability journey.”

Yet the approach needs to constantly develop, much as the world is evolving. “[It is evolving] from increasing expectations of the role of business in contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and addressing climate change; to evolving consumer preferences and the emergence of new category products, such as vapor products (e-cigarettes), tobacco heating and modern oral products, that offer potentially reduced risks for the many millions of people across the world who continue to smoke cigarettes,” said Bowles.

“I am proud that we have a strategy with sustainability embedded at its heart and I firmly believe it will lead to ‘A Better Tomorrow’ for our consumers, our employees, our shareholders and, undoubtedly, for society.”

—Source: BAT

Imperial Brands: Focus On Next Generation Products (NGP) Regulatory uncertainty and adverse news flow continues to affect demand in the US and Europe. We estimate this will result in significantly lower year-on-year NGP net revenue as well as increased provisions for slow-moving stock. We are implementing a further cost savings program to mitigate some of these short-term headwinds.

In addition, the FDA ban in the United States, which has just come into force, has resulted in a write-down of our flavored inventory with a first half adjusted op-

30 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

erating profit impact of c. £45m; in line with our previous estimates.

We believe that NGP provides consumers with potentially less harmful alternatives to combustible tobacco and offers a significant growth opportunity over the medium term to complement our tobacco business. We support regulation that enforces higher product and marketing standards, which are critical for creating a stable and orderly vapor market that we can invest behind.

—Source: Imperial Brands

“We believe that NGP provides consumers with potentially less harmful alternatives to combustible tobacco and offers a significant growth opportunity over the medium term to complement our tobacco business.”

85th EDITION

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Albania – Bangladesh

Section 1: Global Directory Associations, Distribution/Importers & Exporters, Product Manufacturers, Leaf Dealers & Processors, Suppliers

ALBANIA Cigarette Manufacturer British American Tobacco Albania Tobacco and Cigarette Factory Stamles Product Manufacturer Tobacco and Cigarette Factory Stamles

ALGERIA Cigarette Manufacturer British American Tobacco Algeria

ANDORRA Cigar Manufacturer Franc Port, SA Cigarette Manufacturer Franc Port, SA JT International Tabandor SA Product Manufacturer Franc Port, SA Industries Montanya SA JT International Tabandor SA Smoking Tobacco Industries Montanya SA

ANGOLA

Product Manufacturer Massalin Particulares SA Philip Morris Nobleza Piccardo SAIC y F Smoking Tobacco Massalin Particulares SA Philip Morris Nobleza Piccardo SAIC y F

ARMENIA Cigarette Manufacturer British American Tobacco Armenia Grand Tobacco Co. Ltd SPS Cigaronne Co. Ltd Virginia Ltd Distribution/Product, Importer & Exporter Armenian Greek JV Masis Tobacco MV Co. Ltd Masis Tobacco Ltd Growing & Fermentation Masis Tobacco Ltd Leaf Dealer Armenian Greek JV Masis Tobacco MV Co. Ltd Masis Tobacco Ltd Product Manufacturer Armtabak d S C Grand Tobacco Co. Ltd SPS Cigaronne Co Ltd Virginia Ltd Smoking Tobacco

Consulting Knapp AG

XXXXXXX — XXXXXXX

Acetate Tow — Blending Machines XXXXXXX & Mixing — Plants XXXXXXX —XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

A

A complete directory to the world of allied products and services utilized by tobacco product manufacturers, leaf processors, and tobacco growers in the course of their business operations, organized alphabetically by product or service. Refer to Section 3 for complete contact information for the desired company. Refer to the Advertiser Index on page 144 to locate a supplier’s advertisement.

Product Manufacturer Knapp AG Research & Development Knapp AG Trierenberg Holding AG Supplier Altesse Berndorf Band GmbH Delfort Group AG Dr. Franz Fuerstein GmbH Folial GmbH Knapp AG Kukla Waagenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG Mayr-Melnhof Karton Mayr-Melnhof Packaging International/ International Tobacco Packaging MWV/A MeadWestvaco Resource Osterreichische Zigarettenfilter GmbH Poettinger Entsorgungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG Poettinger Water Disposal Technology S & S Vertriebs - GmbH Schiff + Stern KG Trierenberg Holding AG

AZERBAIJAN

AAF international americanair filter, P.O. Box 35690, Louisville, Kentucky 40232-5690, United States. Tel: +1 502 637 0011, Toll free +1 888 223 2003. Fax: +1 502 637 0321, Toll free +1 888 223 6500. Email: info@aafintl.com.

Web: www.aafintl.com. Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Dust Collectors, Electronic Cigarettes, Electronic Cigarettes.

Abal Hermanos SA, Paraguay 1780, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay. Tel: +598 2 924 0915. Fax: +598 2 924 1732. Web: www.pmintl.com. Business Type: Cigarette Manufacturers, Product Manufacturers.

Leaf Dealer Aucana Marketing GmbH Logistic Equipment Knapp AG

Section 3: Contact Information

Section 2: Supplies & Services, Machinery & Equipment

Distribution/Product, Importer & Exporter Top Brands Weswaldi International

Armtabak d S C Cigar Manufacturer Knapp AG ETA (Empresa dos Tabacos de Angola), SARL Supplier Armenian Greek JV Masis Tobacco MV Co. Ltd Cigarette Manufacturer Trierenberg Holding AG Wholesaler/Distribution British American Tobacco Angola Knapp AG AUSTRALIA rter ETA (Empresa dos Tabacos de Angola), SARL Association AZERBAIJAN Product Manufacturer Supplier Tobacco Cooperative of Victoria . Ltd ETA (Empresa dos Tabacos de Angola), SARL Cigarette Manufacturer Cigar Manufacturer British American Tobacco Azerbaijan Altesse Imperial Tobacco Australia Ltd ARGENTINA BAHAMAS Cigarette Manufacturer Association Berndorf BandBritish GmbH American Tobacco Australia Camera de Tabaco Cigar Manufacturer Philip Morris International (Australia) Ltd Graycliff Cigar Co. Cigarette Manufacturer Delfort Group AG Distribution/Product, Importer & Exporter British American Tobacco Argentina Product Manufacturer Swedish Match Australia Goloteca Manufactura Argentina de Tabacos Graycliff Cigar Co. Dr. Franz Fuerstein GmbH Massalin Particulares SA Logistic Equipment Philip Morris Conveying (Aust) Pty. Ltd BANGLADESH Nobleza Piccardo SAICFolial yF GmbH Industrial Product Manufacturer Cigarette Manufacturer Leaf Dealer American Tobacco Australia Abul Khair Leaf Tobacco Co. Ltd AG British One ArgentinaKnapp SA Philip Morris International (Australia) Ltd Bangladesh Tobacco Industries Ltd . Ltd Alliance Bonpland Leaf SA (BLASA) British American Tobacco Bangladesh Supplier Coop. de Salta Co. Ltd Kukla Waagenfabrik GmbH & Co. KGB.A.T. Anzpac Services (Australia) Pty. Ltd Cooperativa de Tabacalera de Tucuman Ltda Husna Tobacco Pvt. Ltd FlexLink Systems Pt. Ltd Cooperativa de Tabacaleros de Corrientes Ltda Nasir Leaf Tobacco Industries, Ltd Industrial Conveying (Aust) Pty. Ltd Mayr-Melnhof Karton Cooperativa de Tabacaleros de Jujuy Ltda Innovia Films (Asia-Pacific) Pty. Ltd Distribution/Product, Importer & Exporter Cooperativa Tabacalera de Misiones Ltda Kamra International Pty. Ltd Abul Khair Leaf Tobacco Co. Ltd J. Felipe Ottaviano y Cia. SA Mayr-Melnhof Packaging International/ RothTech Pty. Ltd Nasir Leaf Tobacco Industries, Ltd Universal Leaf Tabacos SA Treofan Australia Pty. Ltd Leaf Dealer International Tobacco Packaging Abul Leaf Processer Khair Leaf Tobacco Co. Ltd Cooperativa de Tabacaleros de Jujuy Ltda AUSTRIA Bangladesh Leaf Tobacco Co. Ltd MWV/A MeadWestvaco Pipe Smoking Tobacco British American Tobacco Bangladesh Cigarette Manufacturer Resource Nobleza Piccardo SAIC y F B.A.T. Co. Ltd British American Tobacco Austria Osterreichische Zigarettenfilter GmbH Tobacco International Buyers’ Guide & Global Directory 2018 9 Advertisers appear in bold Poettinger Entsorgungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG Poettinger Water Disposal Technology S & S Vertriebs - GmbH Schiff + Stern KG Trierenberg Holding AG . Ltd Wholesaler/Distribution Knapp AG

Cigarette Manufacturer

• Multi-Platform Distribution • Digital Advertising

Acetate Tow see Filter Tow

Adhesive Applicators Fi-Tech, Inc. (United States) C.B. Kaymich & Co. Ltd. (United Kingdom) PAK-TEC, Inc. (United States) SPI Developments Ltd. (United Kingdom)

Vintero Corporation (United States)

Adhesives Baumer hhs GmbH (Germany) Eastern Company S.A.E (Egypt) Edelstein Industries Inc. (Canada) FORBO-Swift Adhesives Ltd. (England) Forbo Swift Adhesives Ltd. (United Kingdom) Haynes Rubber & Supply Co., Lewis-Goetz (United States) H.B. Fuller Co. (United States) H.B. Fuller GmbH (Germany) Henkel & Cie AG (Switzerland) Henkel KG (Germany) Hitkari Trading Corporation (India) KneX Worldwide (United States) Mena Company for Adhesives Technology “Menatec” (Egypt) National Starch & Chemical GmbH (Germany) National Starch & Chemical Co. (United States) National Starch & Chemical Ltd. (United Kingdom) Pafra Systems Ltd. (United Kingdom) PAK-TEC, Inc. (United States) PJM Pujadas SA (Spain) Siag Chemicals Co. SAE (Egypt) STI Petofi Nyomda Kft. (Hungary) Titan Adhesives Co., Inc. (United States) Tuermerleim GmbH (Germany) Tutunski Kombinat A.D. Prilep - TKP (Macedonia) Upaco Adhesives Inc. (United States)

Acetate Tow

Mechanical Transplanter (United States) Muller Vinosafe SAS (France) Opico (United States) Powell Manufacturing Co., Inc. (United States) Taylor Manufacturing, Inc. (United States)

Balers

Air Filters

Band Tobacco

Csonka Worldwide (United States) Hauni Maschinenbau AG (Germany) Renold, Inc. (United States) Tholander Ablufttechnik GmbH (Germany) Tornex Inc. (Japan) United Air Specialists, Inc. (United States) Up-To-Date Environmental Engineering AG (Switzerland)

see Homogenized Tobacco

Aluminum Foil BMJ (Indonesia) ColourPackaging Ltd. (Kenya) Eastern Company S.A.E (Egypt) Edelstein Industries Inc. (Canada) KneX Worldwide (United States) Novelis Deutschland GmbH (Germany)

Aluminum Foil Paper/ Board Rotogravure Printing AL INVEST Bridlicna, AS (Czech Republic) Aluprint S. de R.L. de C.V. (Mexico) Big Beard Co., Ltd. (China) Big Beard Co. Ltd. (China) IBI Corp. (South Korea) Mudanjiang Hengfeng Paper Co., Ltd. (China) New Toyo Aluminum Paper Product Co. (Singapore) Novelis UK Ltd. (United Kingdom) Parkside Flexibles (Normanton) Ltd. (United Kingdom) PT Tunas Alfin (Indonesia) Symetal SA (Greece) Vaassen Flexible Packaging BV (Netherlands)

ABC Tobacco, Higienopolis 1601, Eurocenter sala 1203, Londrina 86015 010, Brazil. Tel: +55 43 3336 3300. Fax: +55 43 3339 5001. Email: contact@abctobacco.com. Web: www. abctobacco.com. Personnel: Camila Silva; Maroun Khouri.

International Baler Corp. (United States)

Baling Press see Presses (Balers)

Abdullah Khan Tobacco Corp., 3-28-15/1 Brundavin Gardens, Guntur, A. P. 522007, India. Tel: +91 863 2354 576.

Fax: +91 863 2354 576. Email: abdulla_tobacco@yahoo.com.

Personnel: Abdullah Khan, managing partner; Saamir Khan, export division. Business Type: Leaf Dealers.

Band Tobacco Machinery

ABN Amro Bank, Herengracht 595, Amsterdam 1000 AB, Netherlands. Tel: +31 20 628 6365. Fax: +31 20 628 7697.

Business Type: Suppliers.

see Homogenized Tobacco Making Machinery

Bandaroling Machines emkon. (Germany) Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG) (Germany) Hauni Maschinenbau AG (Germany)

Abul Khair Leaf Tobacco Co. Ltd., D.T. Road, Pahartali, Chittagong 4000, Bangladesh. Tel: +880 31 714561 4. Fax: +880 31 710051/720239. Email: tobacco@abulkhairgroup. com. Web: www.abulkhairtobacco.com. Business Type: Cigarette Manufacturers, Distribution/Product, Importers & Exporters, Leaf Dealers.

Banding Machines C.A.T. d. Corsini G&C SpA (Italy)

Base Paper

Accumen Technology, Watermeadow House, Watermeadow, Chesham, Bucks HP51LF, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1 494 79 4633. Fax: +44 1 494 794 644. Personnel: Colin Bunting, marketing director; Frank Daugherty, sales director; John Evason, technical director. Business Type: Suppliers.

Products: Weight Control Equipment.

BMJ (Indonesia) Dr. Franz Fuerstein GmbH (Austria) Mudanjiang Hengfeng Paper Co., Ltd. (China) Tervakosi Oy (Finland)

Beedies Soex India Pvt. Ltd (India) Sopariwala Exports Pvt. Ltd (India)

Belt Fasteners

Mechanic Muller Vin Opico (Un Powell Ma Taylor Ma

Adhesive Applicators

Ammeraal Beltech Holding BV (Netherlands) Ammeraal Beltech Inc. (United States) Flexco (United States) Forbo Siegling, LLC (United States) Haynes Rubber & Supply Co., Lewis-Goetz (United States) Jerry Brothers Industries, Inc. (United States) Mcleod Belting Co., Inc. (United States) Piedmont Belting Co. (United States) Sparks Belting Co. (United States) Ton-Tex Corp. (United States)

Fi-Tech, Inc. (United States) Sargent’s Sons Division (United States) V.I.T. SA (Greece) C.B. Kaymich & Co.ApronLtd. Pins (United Kingdom) Diamond Metal Screens Pvt. Ltd. (India) PAK-TEC, Inc. (United States) Art Paper & Board Tervakosi Oy (Finland) SPI Developments Ltd. (United Kingdom)

Agency for Dematic Corp. (United States) Ammeraal Beltech GmbH (Germany) Ammeraal Beltech Holding BV (Netherlands) Esbelt SA (Spain) Malcam (Israel) Max Schlatterer GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) Sampla Belting S.P.A. (Italy) Verseidag Beltech Group (Germany)

see Filter Tow

Agricultural Chemicals

AG Sales & Service (United States) Barrettine Environmental Health (United Kingdom) Casa Bernardo Ltda. (Brazil) Chemprene (United States) Chemtura AgroSolutions (Latin America) Cochran Corp. (United States) Fair Products, Inc. (United States) Fersol (Brazil) Lurgi GmbH (Germany) Sunzon International (United States) Unichema International (Germany) Yara North America, Inc. (United States)

Agricultural Equipment & Machinery AG Sales & Service (United States) Beltwide Inc. (United States) Carolina Soil do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil) de Cloet Ltd. (Canada) Farmquip (Pvt.) Ltd. (Zimbabwe) Kali Und Salz GmbH (Germany) Long Agribusiness (United States) Maquinas Binz Industria e Comercio Ltda. (Brazil)

Apron Machinery Diamond Metal Screens Pvt. Ltd. (India) Evans-MacTavish-Agricraft, Inc. (United States) Godioli & Bellanti SpA (Italy)

Bale Slicers Comas S pA (Italy) Garbuio Dickinson (United Kingdom) Godioli & Bellanti SpA (Italy) Griffin Cardwell Ltd. (England) Griffin & Co. Inc. (United States) Hauni Maschinenbau AG (Germany) International Tobacco Machinery BV (Netherlands) Koehl Tobacco GmbH (Germany) Kunming Shipbuilding Equipment Co. Ltd. (China) The LTL Group (United Kingdom) Muzer Makina San. ve Tic. Ltd. Sti. (Turkey)

Vintero Corporation (United States)

Adhesives

Belts & Belting

Blended Cut Tobacco

Air Filter Csonka W Hauni Mas Renold, In Tholander Tornex Inc United Air 2018 Up-To-Da 39

A. Asbjornsens Tobaksfabrik AS (Norway) Fumarole (Pvt.) Ltd. (Zimbabwe) Independent Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc. (United States) Tobacco Products International FZ-LLC (United Arab Emirates) Top Tobacco International, Inc. (United States)

Blending Machines & Mixing Plants Ets. Joseph Cruanas (France) Franz Sagemüller GmbH (Germany) Godioli & Bellanti SpA (Italy) Griffin & Co. Inc. (United States)

Baumer hhs GmbH (Germany) T b I t ti l B ’ G id & Gl b l Di Eastern Company S.A.E (Egypt) Edelstein Industries Inc. (Canada) FORBO-Swift Adhesives Ltd. (England) Forbo Swift Adhesives Ltd. (United Kingdom) Haynes Rubber & Supply Co., Lewis-Goetz (United States) H.B. Fuller Co. (United States) H.B. Fuller GmbH (Germany) Henkel & Cie AG (Switzerland) Henkel KG (Germany) Hitkari Trading Corporation (India)

t

Fax: +66 2 237 6111. Email: info@adamsint.com. Web: www. adamsint.com. Personnel: Allen Tucker, director; Karl Kunz; Sunchal Chongsuknlrandr, director; Rao Somesh, Director; Altemir Wollmann, Director; Arjaree Yatirukpien, director; Wing F Chung, managing director; Henrik Baark, Director; Prem Thoonkapbalin, director. Business Type: Leaf Dealers.

Offices: F + K.Factory:, 174 Jangsanit Rd., Ban Phai, Khon Kaen 40110, Thailand. Tel: +66 43 272 372/073.

Fax: +66 43 272 370.

Pahartali, 4561 4. Fax: ulkhairgroup. ess Type: Importers &

Watermeadow, : +44 1 494 Colin Bunting, ector; e: Suppliers.

Aluminu AL INVEST

Admiral Electronic Cigarettes, 7020 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Suite A, Van Nuys, California 91406, United States. Tel: (818) 9889568. Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Electronic Cigarettes.

Adolfo Pfeiffer SA, cl. Velazquez 136, 28006, Madrid 28006, Spain. Tel: +34 91 562 98 04. Fax: +34 91 561 21 88. Email: adolfo.pfeiffer.sa@auna.com. Personnel: Adolfo Pfeiffer Seghers, managing director. Business Type: Leaf Dealers.

Aegean Tobacco Exporters Association, Ataturk Cad. No: 382, Alsancak, Izmir 35220, Turkey. Tel: +90 232 463 69 50. Fax: +90 232 463 39 41. Email: eib1@egebirlik.org.tr.

Web: www.egebirlik.org.tr. Personnel: Sezmen Alper, sec.

General; Tahir Kanlikuyu, department manager. Business Type: Associations.

AER Premium Electronic Cigarettes, 5130 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad, California 92008, United States. Tel: (800) 570-6350. Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Electronic Cigarettes.

AET Films, 15 Read’s Way, New Castle, DE 19720, United States. Tel: +1 302 326 5500. Fax: +1 302 326 5501. Email: info@aetinc.com. Web: www.aetfilms.com. Personnel: Bill Swain; Denis Alexander; James R. Rich; Ronald N. Rodeck.

Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Film (Polypropylene).

AET Sales, 4601 Olde Forest Drive, Greenboro, North Carolina 27406, United States. Tel: +1 336 674 0100.

Business Type: Suppliers.

AA Agrisense BCS Ltd., Unit 1, Taff Mead Rd., Treforest Industrial Estate, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan CF375SU, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1443 841 155. Fax: +44 1443 841 152.

Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Fumigation Equipment & Systems, Pesticides, Product Security.

Agritab SRL, 11 Berzei, Sector 1, Bucharest 70759, Romania.

Tel: +40 1 3121 074. Fax: +40 1 3121 074. Personnel: D. Ionescu, chairman & c.e.o. Business Type: Leaf Dealers.

Agrotab, Monte da Barca, P.O. Box 53, 2104-909 Coruche, Portugal. Tel: +351 243 610 700. Fax: +351 243 610 798.

Email: agrotab@pmintl.com. Personnel: Jose` Lourinho, director; Carlos Santiago, president. Business Type: Leaf Dealers.

A. Habeebur Rahman Sons, # 4/5 (New #28), Jamalia Nagar, Perambur High Road, Chennai, T.N. 600 012, India. Tel: +91 44 2662 3676/2662 2636. Fax: +91 44 2662 5045. Email: info@ sbidis.com. Web: www.sbidis.com. Personnel: A. Uvais Ahmed, director; A. Mohamed Ashraf, director. Business Type: Cigarette Manufacturers, Product Manufacturers, Smoking Tobacco.

Ahlstrom/Labelpack Division, 6, Rue de Rome, Rosny-sousBois Cedex F 93561, France. Tel: +33 1 4935 40 40. Email: labelpack@ahlstrom.com. Web: www.ahlstrom.com/lp.

Ahmed & Sons, B-53 Willayatabad Manghopir Road, Karachi 75700, Pakistan. Tel: 0092 213 2577026. Fax: 0092 213 2572516. Email: info@ahmedsons.us. Web: http://www. ahmedsons.us. Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Garniture Tapes, Suction Tapes.

Aiger Engineering Ltd., P.O. Box 77, 246 Vasillevski St., Plovdiv BG-4003, Bulgaria. Tel: +359 32 905001.

Fax: +359 32 947001. Email: sales@aiger.com. Web: www. aiger.com. Personnel: Simon Strothers, group sales and marketing director; Dimitar Yanchev, general manager; Michael Houldsworth, Director Aiger UK. Ltd. Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Carton Boxing/Forming Machinery, Cigarette Filter Tip Machines, Cigarette Making Machinery, Cigarette Tax Stamping Machines, Cutters & Cutting Machines, Packaging Machinery, Rebuilt Machinery Materials-Non Tobacco, Spare Parts, Wrapping Machines.

Office: Aiger Group AG. Tel: +41 41 7267873.

Email: office@hqgroup.aiger.com. Aiger USA LLC. Tel: +1 412 616 2833. Fax: +1 412 251 0466. Email: sales@ usa.aiger.com. Aiger Far East Ltd. Tel: +65 9272 2203.

Email: kevin.ang@aiger.com. Aiger UK Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 121 230 1768. Email: sales@aiger.com.

Africaleaf (Malawi) Ltd., Plot 29/173B Alimaunde, P.O. 3300. Fax: +55 Box 40012, Kanengo, Lilongwe 4, Malawi. Tel: +265 1 710 914. Fax: +265 1 712 417. Email: leaf@africaleaf.com. Web: Aegean Tobacco Exporters Association, Ataturk Cad. No: m. Web: www. www.tribac.com. Personnel: A.C. Masi, shipping director; R.I. Glenn, director (alternate); S.A. Marshall, finance director; Ace Interactive Ltd., Unit 3, 94 Charlton Road, Andover, 382, Alsancak, Izmir Turkey.

M. Gange Harris, leaf35220, director; C.D. Le Patourel, managing Tel: +90 232 463 69 oun Khouri.

Hants SP10 3JZ, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1264 350 424. director. Business Type: Leaf Dealers.

Fax: +44 1264 356 281. Email: sales@ace-interactive.com.

50. Fax: 232C.P.463 39de Castilhos 41. 1021/31, Email: Web: www.ace-interactive.com. Personnel: Barry austin,+90 Afubra, 1021, Rua Julio Santa eib1@egebirlik.org.tr. operations director; Keith Tarrant, quality manager; Michael Cruz do Sul, RS 96800, Brazil. Tel: +55 51 371 13244. undavinCole, managing director. Business Type: Suppliers.

Business Type: Associations.

Web: www.egebirlik.org.tr.

Personnel: Sezmen Alper, sec.

Products: Classifying Equipment, Grinding Wheels, Knives, Airco DIET, 110 Allen Rd., Liberty Corner 07938, United AG Sales & Service, 1185 Pineridge Rd., Norfolk, VA 23502, Metal Detectors, Spare Parts.

863 2354 576.

States. Tel: +1 908 626 2700. Fax: +1 908 626 9650. Email: United States. Tel: +1 757 855 0191.

Fax: +1 757 855 4155. manager. Business General; Tahir Kanlikuyu, department aircodiet@aircodiet.com. Personnel: M. Auerbach, president; Ackerman and Baynes LLC., 4211-15 Erdman Ave., Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Agricultural Chemicals, K. Laigaard, projects director. Business Type: Suppliers. co@yahoo.com.

Baltimore, MD 21213-2698, United States. Tel: +1 410 342 Agricultural Equipment & Machinery, Fertilizers, Tear Tapes.

Products: Expanded Tobacco, Tobacco Expansion Systems Type: Associations.

2216. Fax: +1 410 563 3971. Email: matt.smith@ackbay.

(CRS), Tobacco Expansion Systems (DIET), Tobacco Expansion Agency for Dematic Corp., 507 Plymouth Avenue, N.E., com. Web: www.ackbay.com. Personnel: Matthew Smith, Saamir Khan, Systems Machinery.

Grand Rapids 49505-6029, United States. Tel: +1 616 913 Sales. Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Drying Machinery, 7700. Fax: +1 616 913 7701. Email: usinfo@dematic.com.

Feeders, Rotary Dryers, Spare Parts.

Airco DIET AS, Snaremosevej 27, Fredericia 7000, Denmark.

AER PremiumWeb:Electronic Cigarettes, www.dematic.com. Business Type: Suppliers. Products:5130 Tel: +45 Avenida 76201530. Fax: +45 76201531. Email: aircodiet@ Adamantine Precision Tools Ltd., 501 Research Rd., Belts & Belting, Conveyor Systems, Packaging Machinery, aircodiet.com. Web: www.aircodiet.com. Personnel: Asbjorn Richmond 23236-3090, United States. Tel: +1 804 794 9615.

Storage Warehousing.

Schwert, managing director; Kel Laigaard, director. Business Encinas,Business Carlsbad, California 92008, United States.

Tel: (800) Fax: +1 804 794 9514. Email: sales@Fi-Tech.com.

Type: Suppliers. Products: Processing Machinery.

Agio Cigars, Wolverstraat 3, 5525 AR Duizel, Netherlands.

Suppliers. Products: Grinders, Grinding Wheels, Knife m 1000Type: AB, Tel: +31 497 58 25 00. Fax: +31Suppliers.

497 51 64 06. Email: info@ Grinders & Sharpeners, Spare Parts.

Air-cured Tobacco Assn., P.O. Box 1979, BMZ Tobacco 570-6350. Business Type: Products: Electronic agiocigars.nl. Web: www.agiocigars.com. Business Type: Auction Floors, Willowvale, Harare, Zimbabwe. Tel: +263 4 20 628 Adams 7697.

International Ltd., 5/26-29 Saladang Road, Silom, Cigar Manufacturers, Product Manufacturers.

621 331 4. Fax: +263 4 614 489. Email: acta@africaonline.

Cigarettes.

Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand.

Tel: +66 2 233 9818. co.zw. Business Type: Associations.

Agricultural Development & Marketing Corp., P.O. Box

Aluminu BMJ (Ind ColourPac Eastern Co Edelstein KneX Wor Novelis De

AD DIMON Gorica, Industriska Bb, Vinica, Macedonia. Tel: +389 33 360 832. Fax: +389 33 360 832. Personnel: Simon Green, regional director Europe (based in UK); Arie Maan, Jr., country manager. Business Type: Leaf Dealers. Office: DIMON MD AD, 11 Nov Belgrad, Kavardarci, Macedonia.

Tel: +389 43 414 603. Fax: +389 43 414 605.

Andover

3052, Limbe, Malawi. Tel: +265 64 00 44. Fax: +265 64 04 86. Personnel: B.D. Kandeya, tobacco marketing manager;

Akay Filtips, 21/24B Nariman Bhawan, 227 Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021, India. Tel: +91 22 2043583. Personnel: Ajit

F.A.Read’s Jumbe, g.m.; A.M.B. KythembaNew Mwale, asst.Castle, g.m. BusiV. Shah. 19720, Business Type: Suppliers.

Products: Filters.

AET Films, 15ness Way, DE United Type: Associations, Leaf Dealers.

Akiki’s SARL, Nahr Ibrahim Akiki Bldg., Jounieh 1899, Agrimmcor Ltd., Registered Office: Post Box 15, Mangalagiri Lebanon.326 Tel: +9615501.

9 440739. Fax:Email: +961 9 901934. Email: States. Tel: +1Rd., 302 326 5500.

Fax: +1 302 takiki@akikis.com. Web: www.akikis.com. Personnel: T C Guntur, A. P. 522001, India. Tel: +91 863 222 261.

Akiki, director; Y Akiki, director. Business Type: Cigar ManuFax: +91 863 356701. Personnel: B.V.S. Raju, executive. info@aetinc.com.

Web: www.aetfilms.com.

Bill facturers,Personnel: Cigarillo Makers, Product Manufacturers.

Business Type: Leaf Dealers.

Swain; Denis Alexander; James R. Rich; Ronald N. Rodeck.

Tobacco International Buyers’ Guide & Global Directory 2018 79 Business Type: Suppliers. Products: Film (Polypropylene).

AET Sales, 4601 Olde Forest Drive, Greenboro, North Carolina 27406, United States. Tel: +1 336 674 0100.

Business Type: Suppliers.

Africaleaf (Malawi) Ltd., Plot 29/173B Alimaunde, P.O. Box 40012, Kanengo, Lilongwe 4, Malawi. Tel: +265 1 710 914. Fax: +265 1 712 417. Email: leaf@africaleaf.com. Web: www.tribac.com. Personnel: A.C. Masi, shipping director; R.I. Glenn, director (alternate); S.A. Marshall, finance director;

Tel: +1-212-391-2060 • sales@tobaccointernational.com

Peramb 2662 3 sbidis.c directo Manufa Ahlstr Bois C labelpa Ahmed 75700 25725 ahmed Tapes, Aiger Plovdiv Fax: + aiger.c marke Michae Suppli Cigare Machin Cutting Materi Office:

LEAF NEWS Left: Transplanting flue-cured in the Piedmont of North Carolina

for growers who didn’t want to seed their greenhouses until they had a contract in hand.

Most of the uncertainty appeared to be coming from the export market.

One reliable source told Tobacco international that the two major domestic companies—Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds—had contracted actively at the beginning of the year, and their contracted acreage is believed to be slightly higher than 2019.

But there was no clear message from leaf dealers through mid March.

Are the Good Years for Dark Tobacco Over?

UNITED STATES The growing season begins in the United States live oak, fl—Field production began in the United States in mid March, a little earlier than is typical, when two Florida growers took plants to the field, one on March 11 and the other on March 13. In neighboring Georgia, transplanting was expected to begin toward the end of the month. But most farmers in Georgia will begin after April 7, the recommended earliest date to avoid spotted wilt virus infestations.

Planting in the big flue-cured state of North Carolina was expected to begin the

first week of April, said Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “We’ve had a really good season so far in the greenhouse. Unless we get a cold snap or it gets really wet, we should have a good crop of plants to take to the field.”

In South Carolina, grower Ben Teal of Patrick said on March 18 that his plants in the greenhouse were in fine condition and that he would start transplanting soon. But he will definitely have less acreage. “I would love to have 20 or 25 acres,” he said. “I have had as much as 80 acres.”

In North Carolina, contracting dragged on very late, creating a problem

32 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

lexington, ky.—Declining sales of smokeless tobacco products have brought a long stretch of years of increased demand for dark tobacco leaf to a halt, said Will Snell, Kentucky Extension tobacco economist. USDA estimated that production of the three dark types grown in the U.S. fell nearly 18 percent from 2018 (85 million pounds) to 2019 (70 million pounds) and apparently will drop again in 2020 if contracting is a good indication.

Meanwhile, profit margins for Kentucky tobacco growers will be pressured again this season by higher labor costs coupled with limited yield gains and stagnant leaf prices. One result will be continued concentration in the number of growers, said Snell. Despite lower production, leaf prices for burley are not expected to change much from last year’s levels, given contract price levels and some curing quality issues for burley, he said.

“Overall, Kentucky tobacco cash receipts will likely fall below $300 million for 2019, compared to averaging $356 million over the past five years.” Lower tobacco production may move the sector to more balanced supply/demand

A Zimbabwean harvest worker.

ZIMBABWE Flue-cured production may be down 13 percent harare—Flue-cured production in Zimbabwe as of early February was projected to be down 13 percent from the record high production in 2019.

Why? This crop has suffered from extremely hot weather.

“Although the irrigated crop is very levels this year, he said. “[That] may result in fairly stable contract volumes for the coming year,” he said.

Migrant tobacco workers get travel clearance “Nonessential” travel has been prohibited in almost all the American states as a means to limit coronavirus infections.

Initially, that sparked considerable concern among farmers who participate in the H2A program, which involves vast amounts of travel.

good in quality, the dryland crop suffered the effects of drought,” said Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chairperson Patrick Devenish in an interview with the ZimEye news organization. “Also, the planting season began late because of the late onset of the rainy season.

“The irrigated crop is of ver y good quality and the dryland crop— But late in March, the Commissioner of Agriculture for North Carolina— Steve Troxler—issued travel documents for agricultural workers to use if travel restrictions tighten due to the coronavirus pandemic. The other tobacco states were expected to respond in a similar manner.

Agriculture is considered an “essential service.”

There had been an earlier scrape. As of March 23, it was expected that the American consulate in Mexico would be

not all of it but quite a lot of it—is suffering as a result of drought. It needs a bit of rain.”

The earliest estimate of the crop is approximately 225 kilograms (about 500 million pounds).

The auction market had been expected to open in mid March but has been delayed because of the lateness of the crop. shut down, meaning that H2A workers desiring to go to the United State could not be processed or make the trip, a disastrous situation for American growers.

But negotiations lead to the consulate will remaining open for processing, at least for workers with a history of H2A work in U.S. New applicants may not be considered. This situation, like everything connected with coronavirus, could change, but at the moment, it appears that legal migrant workers will be available this season.

MARCH 2020 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL

33

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Please check event websites for the most current COVID-19 scheduling updates.

May 18–20, 2020 POSTPONED TMA’s 105th Annual Meeting & Conference Lansdowne, Resort, Leesburg, Virginia, USA. Contact: Tobacco Merchants Association, Web: tma.org.

June 11, 2020 CANCELLED ISoNTech 20 (International Symposium on Nicotine Technology) Marriott Warsaw Hotel, Warsaw, Poland.

Web: isontech.info.

June 11–13, 2020 CANCELLED 7th Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN 20) Marriott Warsaw Hotel, Warsaw, Poland.

Web: gfn.net.co; isontech.info.

July 10–14, 2020 PCA 2020 / 88th Annual Convention & International Trade Show Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Premium Cigar Association, Web: premiumcigars.org.

September 27–30, 2020 74th TSRC (Tobacco Science Research Conference) Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston, Mass., USA. Web: tsrcinfo.com.

October 11–15, 2020 CORESTA Congress Vienna Hilton Hotel, Vienna, Austria.

Contact: Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA), Web: coresta.org.

tobaccointernational.com

tobaccointernational.com

The authority on the tobacco industry since 1886 June 2019

The authority on the tobacco industry since 1886

84th EDITION

April/May 2019

2019 BUYERS’ GUIDE & GLOBAL DIRECTORY Product Manufacturers

The End of Smoking in the

Exporters & Importers

United Kingdom?

Equipment & Machinery

The Biggest Cigarette Smuggling Problem in the U.S.

Supplies & Services Leaf Dealers, Growers & Processors

HOW JTI IS MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD TOBACCO SUSTAINABILITY

COULD BREXIT MAKE HOW A CODING A SMOKER BRITAIN’S STATION APPROACH PRIME MINISTER? HELPS IN A TRACK & TRACE PROGRAM

A JOINT LEAF VENTURE IS ONE STEP CLOSER IN NAMIBIA

Associations

ORIENTAL LEAF MARKETS IN EQUILIBRIUM

REGULATIONS RISE ON RUSSIAN TOBACCO

A REPORT ON BRAZILIAN LEAF IN 2019

GROWING SEASON BEGINS IN NORTH AMERICA

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ADVERTISER INDEX Airco Diet ................................................................... 16

delfort Group ...................................................... 7, 9, 11

ARD Filters ................................................................ 23

Star Agritech International ................................... 13, 25

BMJ......................................................................... 4, 5

Sumatra ..................................................................... 21

Boegli-Gravures SA .................................................... C2

TSAL Ltd. (Tobacco Solutions Asia Limited) ................. 3

HTMS ........................................................................ 27

Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc. ...................... 17

34 TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2020

THE AUTHORITY ON TOBACCO DISTRIBUTION AND RETAILING

Quarter 1, 2020

22ND FESTIVAL DEL HABANOS

Anniversaries Galore Celebrated: • Juan López 150th • Romeo y Julieta 145th • Montecristo 85th • La Casa del Habano 30th PLUS: The Return of Puro Sabor, the Nicaraguan Cigar Festival

{Contents}

TOBACCO PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL » Q1 2020

6

{ EDITORIAL } E. EDWARD “TED” HOYT III Editor ROBERT M. LOCKWOOD Publisher & President { ART & PRODUCTION } MELINDA AYALA Production Coordinator ROXANNE CORDOVA MELENDEZ Accountant { ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES }

Robert M. Lockwood TEL: + 1-212-391-2060, x109 EMAIL: robert@lockwoodpublications.com

14

6

ALL REGIONS

SPECIAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE

George E. Lockwood TEL: + 1-413-775-0005 FAX: + 1-413-775-9010 EMAIL: lockwood.george@gmail.com Tobacco Products International Lockwood Trade Journal Co. Inc., 3743 Crescent Street Second Floor Long Island City, New York 11101 U.S.A. Tel: +1 (212) 391-2060

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6 22nd Habanos Festival: Romeo y Julieta, Montescristo, La Casa Del Habanos Take Center Stage Romeo y Julieta marks its 145th anniversary this year; Montecristo its 85th; and La Casa de Habanos its 30th. All three were celebrated at this year’s Habanos Festival. » STAFF REPORT

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS/INQUIRIES:

editor@tobaccoproductsmag.com

DEPARTMENTS Industry News .......................................4 Brand News .......................................... 16 Showcase............................................. 18

David Ross ................................ 15 Isatec ....................................... 12

18

16

{ CENTRAL AMERICA }

14 Puro Sabor Festival 2020: Nicaraguan Cigar Festival Returns Following a hiatus in 2019 due to political and social unrest in Nicaragua, the Puro Sabor Festival returned this year, a bit smaller, but agreeably better than ever. » STAFF REPORT

AD INDEX

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{Industry News} Q Premium cigar maker Mombacho Cigars of Grenada, Nicaragua has signed a distribution agreement with La Casa del Tabaco to distribute the firm’s hand made cigars in Spain, which

New Habanos Specialist Opens in London LONDON—A

new Habanos Specialist, called No.6 Cavendish, has opened its doors

is now the specialty cigar manufacturer’s 15th market. Mombacho Cigars produces only all-Nicaraguan tobacco

in the heart of London’s West End. Owners Ajay and Bhavna Patel opened the U.K’s

puros under the direction of Claudio

first La Casa Del Habano over 10 years ago, and have over 25 experience in the cigar

Sgroi, President and Master Blender.

industry. Their Casa remains open and continues to go from strength to strength, while No.6 Cavendish breaks in a different direction.

“This is a project we have considered for a number of years, but we felt the time

Q British American Tobacco (BAT) has been recognized as a global leader

was right and we found the perfect location, so we decided to go for it,” says Ajay.

for engaging with its suppliers on cli-

”The new shop is an addition to our existing one, not a replacement for it.”

mate change, having been awarded a

No.6 Cavendish has two walk-in humidors, private members keeps, a large

position on the “Supplier Engagement

and very comfortable sampling lounge, a selection of fine spirits available by

Leaderboard” compiled by global envi-

the glass or by the bottle, a bar and, of course, a comprehensive selection of

ronmental impact non-profit organisa-

Habanos including many rare and vintage Havanos. The Habanos are available

tion CDP. BAT was recognized among

individually or by the box.

4,800 assessed companies for its

There are plans for a series of Masterclasses to be conducted throughout the

actions and strategies to reduce emis-

coming year and this wonderful shop seems sure to be a huge hit with the cigar

sions and manage climate risks in its

smokers of London, as well as those located far further afield.

supply chain in the past reporting year.

2020 Cigar Smoking World Championship Qualifiers Begin with New Rocky Patel Cigar The 11th annual Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC) kicked off on February 29 in Riga, Latvia with the first of several dozen qualifying events in Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S.A. The occasion was marked by the unveiling of a new competition cigar developed and rolled by Rocky Patel Premium Cigars. The new official cigar carries all of the same technical parameters as previous competition cigars (5-1/8 inch x 42 ring gauge petite corona “Mareva”), but has been specially made specifically with the demanding properties needed for a slow-burning competition in mind. Featuring a Honduran and Nicaraguan filler blend, Nicaraguan binder, and San Andres (Mexico) wrapper, cigar is also being offered commercially by Rocky Patel in Petite Corona, Robusto, and Toro vitolas. CSWC was created in 2009 by Marko Bilic, president of the Mareva Cigar Club in Split, Croatia, where the grand finale is held in September.

TPI 4

Q1 2020

Maya Selva: 25 Years of Tenacity and Cigar Passion This year marks the 25th anniversary

UK Industry to Government: Keep Vaping Shops Open During Coronavirus Crisis

of Maya Selva Cigars, a milestone in

LONDON —The

smoking experience.

UK vaping industry in March urging the UK government to keep vape

stores open across the country, rather than forcing them to close as part of any

the company’s history of providing aficionados worldwide with a refined The strategic positioning of the

intensification of its coronavirus containment strategy. Closing vapes stores, the

Flor de Selva, Villa Zamorano, and

industry argues, would be a potentially counterproductive move that could place

Cumpay brands on the cigar market

further strain on the already overstretched National Health Service.

was no accident. At the age of 16,

In an open letter to Nadhim Zahawi, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at

Maya Selva moved from Honduras

the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the UK Vaping Industry

to France in order to continue her

Association (UKVIA), the largest trade body representing the vaping sector in the UK,

studies. She returned in 1995, eager

calls for vape shops in cities, towns and rural areas to stay open and be exempt from

to gain experience, particularly in the

any Government lockdown.

tobacco industry.

In the letter the UKVIA cites the experience of Italy,

For more than a year, she lived in

the country in Europe hit hardest by Coronavirus so far

Danlí, where she immersed herself

and where the Government reversed its decision to close

fully in the world of cigar production,

vape stores as part of its containment program.

from planting seeds in the nursery, to

The letter to the British Minister reads: “We recognise

planting the fields, to harvesting leaf

and support the Government’s intensified containment

by leaf, classifying the tobacco, and

plan for the virus but would urge you and your colleagues

learning the techniques of drying, fer-

to look at the example of Italy.

mentation, processing, blending and

“Dr Riccardo Polosa, a world renowned scientist and researcher on vaping

hand rolling.

and tobacco harm reduction and founder of the Centre of Excellence for the

With this solid background, Selva

Acceleration of Harm Reduction, successfully argued that due to the stress caused

met renowned tobacco producer and

by the Coronavirus, with the closure of vape shops vapers were highly likely to go

cigar maker Nestor Plasencia, and he

back to smoking cigarettes to maintain their nicotine needs. This could be danger-

became her mentor. After trying hun-

ous from a public health perspective and could heighten the risk of exposure of

dreds of leaves, both separately and

tobacco smoke to bystanders during the crisis, including families and children. It

blended, Maya Selva debuted on the

could also place a further burden on an already overstretched health system.”

French market in 1995 with her first

The UKVIA goes on to call on the British government to give the sector every

box of Flor de Selva cigars, which

support it can so that the industry can maintain its service to three million plus vapers

became a classic among the most

across the country, including those in self isolation and people living in remote areas.

demanding smokers.

Tobacco Products International

TPI 5

PHOTOS COURTESY HABANOS S.A.

{ Habanos Festival 2020}

22nd Habanos Festival:

Anniversaries Galore at 2020 Habanos Festival This year, Romeo y Julieta marks its 145th anniversary, Juan Lopéz its 125th, Montecristo its 85th, and La Casa del Habanos its 30th: All were celebrated at the festival. » STAFF REPORT

(which tests the knowledge of pairs of Habanos enthusiasts), and the opening of the Trade Fair at the Havana Convention Center, where tobacco industr y professionals traditionally network and make valuable merchandise and supplier connections among the exhibiting luxury goods makers, craftspeople, artists, manufacturers of smoking accessories and gourmet products, and allied industry suppli-

H

avana hosted the 22nd Habanos

about 70 countries expected to have

ers. Habanos S.A. reported there were

Festival from 24–28 February, con-

participated, and attendance last year

84 exhibit stands from 11 countries,

sisting of five activity-packed days

reported at 1,300 participants (including

up 79 stands last year, and that 54

of programming drawing Habanos S.A.

more than 200 journalists), the week-long

stands represented Cuban companies.

distributors, retailers, and even consum-

event has earned bragging rights as larg-

Overall, there were 2,200 visitors to

ers from around the world. In addition

est premium cigar gathering in the world.

the convention hall.

ous new upcoming releases, participants

DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS

then kicked off with a sprawling wel-

immersed themselves in the culture,

The festival began on Monday, 24

production, and enjoyment of Habanos

Februar y with a press conference

through a variety of seminars, tours, and

for journalists, the preliminary round

social events. With visitors from more

of the 3rd Habanos World Challenge

to witnessing the unveiling of a numer-

TPI 6

Q1 2020

The week’s first big social event

Top right: A Cohiba humidor containing an assortment of 550 different Cohiba cigars including 20 each of the Behike BHK 52, Behike BHK 54, and Cohiba Edición Limitada 1966, was the final, record-breaking item in the annual humidor auction at the festival’s closing gala.

come evening dinner celebration beach-side at Club Habana, paying homage to the Bolívar brand with a slew of music, dance, acrobatic, and other performances. The star of the night, though, was the unveiling of the Bolívar Belicosos Finos Reserva C osecha 2016 — the first Reser va release under this brand.

In selecting the 52 ring gauge x 140mm long Belecos Fina vitola for this Reserva edition, Habanos S.A. chose the most iconic shape in the Bolívar portfolio. All of the tobaccos used to roll this release, set aside from the 2016 Vuelta Abajo harvest in the Pinar del Río region, have been aged for at least three years to earn the Reserva designation. Only 5,000 numbered boxes of 20 habanos will be released, presented in elegant black lacquer-finished cases and featuring the black and chrome secondary Reserva band below the primary traditional Bolívar band.

Habanos S.A.:

A $531m Year in 2019 Corporación Habanos, S.A. maintained its global leadership position in premium cigars in 2019, posting its fourth consecutive year of growth.

C

orporación Habanos, S.A., which exclusively markets the 27 handmade Habanos brands worldwide, released its financial results for the 2019 fiscal year during the festival, reporting a turnover of $531 million,

which the company said represented growth of 2 percent at a constant exchange rate compared to 2018 results.

DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS

“The markets are behaving very satisfactorily, maintaining in our posi-

Tuesday, 25 February offered tours of

tion in mature markets and increasing our presence and sales, particularly

tobacco plantations and leaf curing facil-

in emerging markets such as Continental China and Middle East, which are

ities in the Partido zone of San Antonio

becoming increasingly important for Habanos,” say Inocente Núñez and Luis

de los Baños in the Artemisa province,

Sánchez-Harguindey Pardo de Vera, Co-Presidents of Habanos, S.A. “After

south of Havana and east of the west-

25 years, Habanos, S.A. is still operating in more than 140 countries. Exports

ern-most province of Pinar del Río. This

continue to grow which, in turn, is very important to the country.”

area has historically been a very important cultivation region for the produc-

In the ranking by country, the top five markets for Habanos, S.A. in terms of sales volume are Spain, China, France, Germany, and Cuba. By region, Europe remains the main market for Habanos, with 53 percent of sales by volume, followed by the Americas (18 percent), Africa and the Middle East (15 percent), and Asia Pacific (14 percent).

Leopoldo Cintra González, Commercial Vice-President, and José María López Inchaurbe, Vice-President of Development of Habanos, S.A., believe that “2019 has been once again a successful year in terms of commercialization, thanks to the numerous, innovative initiatives we have run, which contribute decisively to our continued position as the undisputed leaders of premium tobacco worldwide. Moreover, the consolidation of Habanos as a premium product and the commitment to quality and craftsmanship in its manufacturing process, offer the possibility of continuing to grow as people increasingly appreciate unique and differential products.”

Tobacco Products International

TPI 7

{Habanos Festival 2020}

Left: Bolívar Belicosos Finos Reserva Cosecha 2016, the first-ever Bolívar Reserva. Right: Montecristo Herederos, exclusive to LCDH and Habanos Specialists networks.

tion of Habanos. Visitors saw first-hand

DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS

some iconic Habanos with the highest

how the fertile lands of the vegas in

Wednesday, 26 February, featured

quality red wines from Torres, bring-

this “Protected Appellation of Origin”

the International Seminar which

ing together their distinctive charac-

(P.O.A.) give the tobacco’s their special

offered master classes and talks led

teristics: H. Upmann Magnum 54 and

qualities—both sun grown leaf and aro-

by renowned experts in the world of

Trinidad Vigía with wines produced with

matic wrapper leaves grown under the

Habanos, examining the culture of

Grenache, Cariñena and Syrah: Salmos

shade of cheesecloth.

Habanos, their brands, and the most

D.O.Ca Priorat and Purgaroti D.O.

In all, the Cuban news agency

outstanding products. The keynote

Costers del Segre. The sampling was

Granma reports that there are 45 com-

speech, “Habanos and their brands,” by

accommpanied by explanations provided

panies participating in the tobacco

Ciro Bianchi, was followed by a master

by leading experts.

industry in Cuba, 23 of which are

class on the technique of hand rolling

The Festival’s “intermediary eve-

involved in the production tobacco,

long filler tobacco entitled “Creating a

ning” on Wednesday marked the half-

working with 800 farming cooperatives

parejo,” by Miguel Bárzaga capped by

way point of the festival and featured

and nearly 17,000 peasant producers

a talk on the new edition of the book El

the second major social dinner, cel-

cultivating approximately 37,000 hect-

Bello Habano by Reynaldo González.

ebrating La Casa del Habano’s three

ares of land throughout the country. For

This year ’s special partnership

decades of retailing, as well as the

the 2019-2020 growing season, Granma

brought Habanos together with a selec-

85th anniversary of the Montecristo

reports Habanos S.A. hopes to see a

tion of wines from Bodegas Torres

brand, with a gala dinner hosted at the

total yield of 30,000 tons of tobacco, or

from different Appellations of Origin in

Laguito Protocol Hall. The launch of the

a yield of 1.1 tons per hectare.

Catalonia, Spain. The pairing matched

Montecristo Herederos vitola commemorates both of these anniversaries. Herederos, a 47 ring gauge by 162mm long “Cazadores Especiales” is presented in a special case of 20 Habanos, and is exclusively marketed

by La Casa del Habano and Habanos Specialists franchise network, designated by the secondary matte gold band below the primary Montecristo ring. The special humidor case, featuring a rich high gloss clear finish to showcase the natural wood grain, includes an internal humidification ele-

International Seminar: Left: Parings with Bodegas Torres wines. Right: “Creating a Parejo” master class.

TPI 8

Q1 2020

ment and hygrometer.

Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro: Dianas, Hidalgo, Nobles

T

he Romeo y Juliet brand is celebrating its 145th anniversary this year with the introduction of a

new Línea—the brand’s most premium.

Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro consists of three vitolos—two parejos and one figurado, all of them unprecedented in the Romeo y Julieta portfolio, positioning this line as the brand’s most exclusive and elegant. It also for the first time a “medium to full-strength” flavour profile has been introduced within the brand, which to date has been known for its balanced, aromatic blend made with a classic medium-strength flavour.

The Dianas (52 x 145mm “Damas), Hidalgos (57 x 12mm), and Nobles (56 x 135mm “Triangulares”) vitolas were chosen by Habanos, S.A. to form this new line, presented in a high-quality case with exquisite attention to detail

Oro is the inclined front face. It will also

These Habanos also have a band and

and a high gloss lacquer finish on syc-

show off an elegant curved indentation

tape designed solely for this launch.

amore wood stained the red of the

with a golden touch and a metallic tape

Romeo y Julieta, created as a

brand. The grain of the wood itself is

that, together with the small plaque

Habanos brand in 1875, has its roots in

also used to showcase its beauty.

embossed with the logo in exquisite

the literary tragedy of the same name by

detail, make this case unique.

the English writer William Shakespeare.

DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS

severely aging) former home on Calle

or imperceptible deviations in bunching

Thursday, 27 February was focused

Industria in Central Havana to a building

consistency or overall dimensions. These

on factory tours, which this year were

in better condition, but one that’s also

rejected cigars are distributed among

hosted at La Corona and Partagás, to see

had a long history rolling cigars. Most

all the factory workers, who receive

stripping, rolling, inspecting, and packag-

recently known as the El Rey Mundo

between three and five habanos daily,

ing areas at each facility.

Factory, it provided a more or less

without a ring or packaging.

A distinctive element of the Línea de

La Corona (Empresa de Tabaco

seamless move in 2016. In addition to

M ore af terno on seminars fol -

Trocido La Corona) is the current home

Partagás, the Bolivar, La Gloria Cubana,

lowed, first a Special Tasting which

to one of the largest and more mod-

Quia d’Orsay, and Ramon Allones

presented with three specially rolled

ern factories in the capital, producing

brands are also produced there.

cigars featuring only a single type

brands including Romeo y Julieta, San

Factory workers gladly showed vis-

of tobacco, as well as a Montecristo

Cristóbal de La Habana, Por Larrañaga,

itors their handcrafting tradition that

Media Corona. Fernando Fernández,

Saint Luis Rey, and Diplomaticos,

takes us back 200 years. During the

Habanosommelier Master and advi-

among others.

tours, it was revealed that daily pro-

sor to Habanos, S.A., said this was

Likewise, the Par tagás factor y

duction ranges from 17,000 to 20,000

the first time that Habanos S.A. has

(Fábrica de Tabaco Torcido Partagás),

habanos, of which 5 percent are typically

publicly conducted such a tasting

has moved in recent years from its

rejected during quality tests for small

exercise. Labeled only with a number,

longtime and highly recognized (but

defects such as barely visible scratches

each cigar could be tasted blindly with Tobacco Products International

TPI 9

{Habanos Festival 2020}

La Casa del Habano Celebrates 30 Years of Luxury Retailing

his year’s Habanos Festival commemorated the 30th

T

ment of emerging markets. In addition, the franchise’s stores

anniversary of the founding of Habanos S.A.’s La Casa

have constantly evolving selection of exclusive products that

del Habano, the international network of highly special-

are marketed only at La Casa del Habana stores.

ized retail stores dedicated to the sale, enjoyment, and culture

The latest release exclusive to La Casa del Habano was

of Habanos. The year-long celebration will be marked with a

unveiled at the festival, the Juan López Selección Especial

number of special releases.

in the relatively new Torre Iznaga

The first store opened in 1990

vitola (52 ring gauge by 170 mm

in Cancún, Mexico. In the begin-

long double robusto), which cele-

ning, La Casa del Habano was cre-

brates not only the franchise’s 30th

ated as a store specially dedicated strictly to the sale of

anniversary but also the impressive 150th anniversary of the

Habanos under the company’s 27 different commercial brands.

Juan López brand itself. The habanos, which are presented in

However, over the years the concept evolved and the shops

25-count white lacquered boxes, are designated with a maroon

focus not only on the sale of Habanos, but also offer a variety

secondary La Casa del Habana Exclusivo band and special

of services and personalized care for anyone interested in find-

150th anniversary graphics. Habanos S.A. describes the cigar

ing out about these products, their culture, and their legend—a

as having a “very characteristic flavour of fresh, delicate wood,

meeting point for aficionados where staff professionals take

and a smooth, medium-strength blend.”

pride in offering the best advice and service to each customer.

One of the best-selling brands at the time of the Cuban

Today, the LCDH network has 155 stores in 118 cities

revolution, Juan López, owes its name to its creator, a Spanish

spread across nearly 60 countries and serves as a platform for

man of the same name, who founded it in the 1870s. Its rela-

launching new products and plays a key role in the develop-

tively small circle of fans are extremely loyal to the brand.

TPI 10

Q1 2020

Left: Juan López Selección Especial commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Juan López brand. In honor of 30th Anniversary of La Casa del Habanos, it is being released as a LCDH Exclusivo. Right: Zenith Elite Moonphase Romeo (left) and Julieta (right) watches, the latest collaboration between Habanos S.A. and Zenith.

three different spirits from Bodegas

Also at the Trade Fair, attendees

Five humidors from some of the

Torres: Brandy Torres 10, Brandy Torres

could view the latest collaboration

most prestigious Habanos brands were

20, and Pisco Gobernador ( made

between Habanos S.A. and Zenith with

auctioned, together with a special

from Rosé Moscatel and Moscatel

the unveiling of the Elite Moonphase

humidor donated by the family of the

de Alejandría grape varieties). After

Romeo y Julieta Collection of watches,

late Simon Chase to Habanos. Chase,

the tasting exercise, it was revealed

which consists of two pieces in stain-

the former Marketing Director for

that the three cigars were rolled from

less steel cases. Romeo is a men’s

British distributor Hunters & Frankau,

volado, seco, and ligero respectively.

watch in a 40.5mm case featuring a

passed away in March 2019. A for-

Next, Habanos Moments featured

blue face, while Julieta is a women’s

mer recipient of the Habanos Man of

tasting experts led parings of emblem-

watch in a 36mm case adorned with 75

the Year Award in Communications,

atic habano vitolas with renowned spirits.

diamonds set into the bezel. These spe-

served as the longtime master of cere-

Cuba Ron presented the Santiago Extra

cial Elite models are paired with alligator

monies and auctioneer for the humidor

Seco Rum and the Cubay Extra Añejo

leather straps in colors matching the

auction. The lot consisted of a box of

Remedios 500, paired with the spicy, full-

dial, and are presented as a boxed set

vintage Ramón Allones Petit Coronas

strength Montecristo Línea 1935 Maltes,

featuring both watches, limited to 145

and a Ramón Allones 225 Aniversario

a 53 ring gauge by 155mm long robusto

sets commemorating the 145th anniver-

H umi d o r. B oth items were fro m

extra format. In addition, Havana Club

sary of the Romeo y Julieta brand.

Simon’s personal collection.

presented its most recent product, Tributo

The festival drew to a close at the

2020 Rum, with the Hoyo de Monterrey

Gala Evening with 1,200 guests celebrat-

Le Hoyo de San Juan, lighter-bodied 54

ing at the Pabexpo Exhibition Complex.

ring gauge by 150mm long vitola.

The evening was dedicated to the Romeo y Julieta brand, and attendees had the

DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS

opportunity to sample many of the latest

Friday, 28 February ushered in the final

cigars unveiled during the festival.

competitions in the 3rd Annual Habanos

Habanos S.A. Co-Presidents Inocente

World Challenge Contest, a competi-

Núñez and Luís Sánchez Harguindey

tion in which habanos enthusiasts prove

presented trophies to the winners of

their knowledge habanos. Tarek Gamaye

this year’s Habanos Awards. Habanos

and Fabi Hammad from the United Arab

Man of the Year prizes were awarded

Emirates outlasted their competitors to

to Servilio Jesús Córdova from Cuba

take the title as the winning couple. The

for Production; Jean-Claude Reichling

competition was followed by a Habanos

from Luxembourg for Business; and

Sommelier Master Class at the Habanos

Alexandre de Lucidio Avellar from Brazil

S.A. stand at the Trade Fair.

for Communications.

Tobacco Products International

TPI 11

{Habanos Festival 2020} Ushering in a new era,

Gloria Gaynor

Dalia Padilla and Maria Eugenia Alvarez, both experienced auctioneers of fine art from Christie’s Auction House in London, served as auctioneers during the festival this year.

Another

humidor

broke the all-time auction record for a sale at the festival auction: a winning bid of €2.4million by Li Thet from China for a five foot Cohiba cabinet humidor filled with 550 rare Cohiba

The Partagás Tropicales Humidor

cigars, including Cohiba Behike, Esplendidos, Majestuosos,

The Partagás Tropicales Humidor is destined to become a

Talisman, Sublimes Extra, Piramides, Gran Coronas, Robusto

collector’s item among demanding Habanos aficionados,

Especiales, Robusto Supremos, and 1966.

celebrates the Partagás brand’s 175th anniversary. It is being

In all, the auction raised the historic amount of €4.27mil-

presented as a “global specialty,” in a single series of 450

lion with all proceeds going entirely to the Cuban Public

numbered humidors, each containing 50 Habanos in the 52

Health System. America singer Gloria Gaynor, whose 60-year

x 177mm Tropicales vitola, an elegant parejo offering a long

musical career has spanned from rhythm & blues to soul, jazz,

smoking time. Partagás Habanos are characterised by their

and disco, performed during the final evening concert, mark-

intense flavour. The humidor was developed by the Decuba

ing a glittering end to the XXII Habanos Festival.

Group, Arte en Madera—a group of artists who are passionate about the Habanos culture, and who found inspiration in the brand’s details. Its painstakingly crafted woodworking and marquetry stand out, part of a completely handcrafted

Cigar Manufacturers

artisan process with solid cedar or okoume for the interior, and bubinga for the exterior.

FENIX

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year’s Colección Habanos,

Isatec Ltd. introduces the latest version of their widely accepted FENIX control and information system for cigar making machines. The FENIX system has successfully evolved over 20 years to meet the increasing quality and information demands of the international cigar manufacturing industry. Using a third party Microwave sensor for on-line measurement of cigar density and moisture, FENIX controls the weight of cigar rods up to 14.5mm diameter.

With FENIX systems installed worldwide on a variety of cigar makers, Isatec continues to be the right choice for on-machine control and information systems.

continuing this Special Serie Colección of individually numbered cases of 20 units each, presented in impressive cedar boxes crafted to resemble hard cover books. The Super Magnum (56 ring gauge by 180mm length) is the parejo vitola with the heaviest ring gauge under the brand’s standard portfolio, and had previously only been used for the 2015 H. Upmann

FENIX Support Services Isatec Ltd. are renowned for excellent support of its products. For the new generation of Fenix systems, our team of experienced software and hardware engineers will continue to enhance our reputation.

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Magnum 56 Limited Edition. Línea Magnum is characterized by its elegant, nuanced blend with smooth to medium strength flavour. Only 3,000 cases will be produced, available at the international network of stores under La Casa del Habano franchise. For the first time, Habanos, S.A. incorporates an exclusive identifying second ring at the bottom for the collections.

TPI 12

Q1 2020

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{ Puro Sabor 2020}

Puro Sabor Festival 2020:

Nicaraguan Cigar Festival Returns Following a hiatus in 2019 due to political and social unrest in Nicaragua, the Puro Sabor Festival returned this year, a bit smaller, but agreeably better than ever. » STAFF REPORT

P

city of Granada to the itinerary, but for 2020 the format resembled earlier festival iterations, with the first night spent in the capitol city of Managua before moving to nation’s cigar making nexus, the northern city of Estelí.

However, a day tour was offered from Managua to Granada on Tuesday, Jan. 21 to visit Casa Favilla, the colonial mansion that houses the Mombacho cigar factory. Company President and

u r o S a b o r, t h e N i c a r a g u a n

in 2018, but the mood was buoyant

Master Roller Claudio Sgroi escorted

cigar festival organized by the

and the smaller crowd may have even

guests through the facility, explaining

Nicaraguan Chamber of Tobacco,

helped facilitate what everyone pres-

the cigar making process and leading a

returned January 21–24 after a one-

ent universally agreed: this eighth edi-

blending workshop, followed by lunch

year hiatus while political protests and

tion was by far the smoothest run and

at the factory’s new rooftop lounge.

social unrest raised safety concerns

most logistically precise festival to date,

The rest of the day was spent soaking

in the other wise peaceful country.

a fact that only added to the celebra-

in some of the area’s natural resources,

Participation at Puro Sabor Festival 2020

tory mood. The number of events was

first touring the Isletas, a group of

was smaller than previous events, with

trimmed down, the tours more inti-

120 registered attendees from over

mate, and scheduling better fine tuned.

Clockwise from top left: Master Blender Claudio Sgroi of Mombacho Cigars conducts a rolling demonstration at the company’s Casa Favillo factory in Grenada; Hostesses greet festival attendees with cigars at the closing evening gala dinner; Juan Ignacio Martinez, President, Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A., with a factory tour.

30 countries enjoying the festivities

The previous two festivals had

this year compared to 200 attendees

added a stay-over night in the colonial

TPI 14

Q1 2020

PHOTOS: JOYA DE NICARAGUA, MOMBACHO CIGARS

islands in nearby Lake Nicaragua, as well as a visit to the active Masaya volcano, complete with flowing lava and smoldering smoke.

The following morning, Wednesday Jan. 22, the entire group traveled by bus to Estelí, home to most of the country’s cigar factories and part of the greater tobacco farming region. On the way, there was a tour of cigar maker Victor Calvo’s farm before the splitting apart in Estelí to start 2-1/2 days of tours of various participating companies. Attendees were divided into eight different tour groups,

Left: A cigar roller from Joya de Nicaragua. Right: Claudio Sgroi, President and Master Blender of Mombacho Cigars (with wife Laura), was announced as the new President of the Nicaraguan Tobacco Chamber.

with each group visiting a total of five

Oliva Cigars, Pensa, Tabacalera Perdomo,

closing dinner on Friday, Jan. 24 at the

different facilities—a combination of

Aganorsa Leaf, Plasencia Cigars, STG,

Scandinavian Tobacco Group. There,

cigar factories, leaf operations, or other

Oliva, Omar Ortez, and Tavicusa.

Claudio Sgroi was named the new pres-

allied functions such a box factories or

Evenings were celebrated my enjoy-

ident of the Chamber of Tobacco, taking

a cigar band printing factory. Other cur-

ing local cuisines, spirits, and entertain-

over from Anielka Ortez. Sgrio immedi-

rent NCT members include AJ Fernandez,

ment, including the traditional “White

ately announced that an overnight stay in

Drew Estate, Joya de Nicaragua, My

Party” on Thursday, Jan. 23, held at J.C.

Granada would once again be included in

Father Cigars, Nacsa, Padron Cigars,

Newman’s PENSA factory, and the gala

next year’s Puro Sabor itinerary.

Tobacco Products International

TPI

TPI 15

{Brand News} Villiger 1492 Unveils New Packaging Villiger 1492, a brand of long filler cigars from Villiger Sons hand made in the Dominican Republic, now boasts a new, contemporary look, featuring modern white lacquered wooden boxes each containing 20 cigars. The new presentation replaces the traditional boite-natural slide-top cabinet-style boxes the brand previously used. The premium snow white design features classy gold details and a simplified, matching ring design. In addition, two of the formats— Short Perfecto and Robusto—come in a

Republic tobaccos with an Indonesian binder and a bright Connecticut wrapper

Villa Zamorano Reserva Sampler in Smart Package

from Ecuador. Balanced with aromas of wood, nut, and toast—slightly sweet and

Maya Selva Cigars has introduced a

well balanced—Villiger 1492 provides the characteristic subtle flavor of Dominican

new sampler pack for the Villa Zamo-

cigars while at the same time delivering an intense aroma.

rano Reserva collection. Designed to

new magnetic three-pack.

The Villiger 1492 line combines a delicate filler blend of fine Dominican

While the blend is identical for all of the Villiger 1492 formats, each

look like a beer or soda can, the sampler

vitola delivers its own unique taste. Six vitolas are offered: Corona,

contains five cigars: Expreso, Robusto,

Minuto, Perla,

El Gordo, N°15, and the new Soberano.

Robusto, Short Perfecto, and the new Churchill, offering

a ring gauge of 19.1 mm and a length of 178 mm. This format promises an

The handy container can also be used

extended smoking time of about 90 minutes paired with compelling aro-

as a travel humidor, fits perfectly in the

matic intensity.

mug holder of the car and its cap turns

The Short Perfecto meanwhile is a rarity on the cigar market. Since

into an ashtray. Last year, aficionados

it tapers at both ends, the format is comparatively challenging to roll and

from around the word gave the VZ Res-

demands the dexterity of the most experienced torcedores. Its taste

erva Collection Cigar Journal magazine’s

changes repeatedly as the smoke travels through the different diameters

Best Value Award 2019.

of the burning cigar, delivering a particularly impressive smoking experi-

Maya Selva Cigares, Paris, France,

ence. Connoisseurs planning to taste all the different Villiger 1492 formats

Web: mayaselvacigars.com.

should choose the Short Perfecto as the contrasting finale.

Taste develops quite differently with the Robusto format. The large diameter intensify as the cigar burns down.

Tweaking a Flip: Navetta Inverso Boxer

Villiger Sons Ltd., Pfeffikon, Switzerland, Web: villiger.ch.

In 2018, Fratello Cigars literally “in-

allows the full-bodied flavors to reach the palate with the first few puffs. They then

versed” the tobaccos used in its

G.4 Fizzy, All-White Snus from Swedish Match

Navetta blend to create Navetta Inverso, with

G.4 Fizzy is an all white snus product from Swedish Match with a fruity flavor that deliv-

Dominican and Nicara-

ers a “bubbly” sensation when placed under the lip. The seventh product under the G.4

guan fillers, an Habano

brand is a cocktail of lemon, peach and grapefruit

Ecuador Oscuro binder,

that offers a fruity flavor coupled with a bubbly sen-

and Habano Nicaraguan

sation when placed under the lip. G.4 Fizzy comes

wrapper. Now, the new

in the slim, all-white format for an optimum fit under

Navetta Inverso Boxer,

the lip while delivering the same nicotine experience

a 6 1/4 x 52 box press

as traditional snus. Like the other All White products,

torpedo, offers a modified, stronger

it stays white before, during and after use.

filler blend for the box press vitola.

Swedish Match, Stockholm, Sweden, Tel: +46 10

Fratello Cigars, Springfield, Va., USA,

13 93 000, Email: contactus@swedishmatch.com.

Web: fratellocigars.com.

TPI 16

Q1 2020

VegaFina Year of the Rat Released to Celebrate 2020 Chinese Zodiac Last year, Tabacalera S.A. released its second special edition VegaFina cigar celebrating the Chinese zodiac calendar with the VegaFina Year of the Pig, and for 2020 the company continues this tradition with the debut of the VegaFina Year of the Rat, the third size in this ongoing series. The double-banded Toro vitola measures 52 x 150mm and features a pigtail cap. The cigars are presented in 16-count red lacquer boxes with polished gold quadrant hinges and gold graphics.

The smooth but complex

Maya Selva Adds Villa Zamorano Reserva Soberano After the successful debut of the classic Villa Zamorano Soberano

blend remains unchanged, fea-

at Intertabac last year, Maya Selva

turing Dominican and Nicaraguan

decided to add the increasingly popu-

filler, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Habana 2000 Nicaraguan wrapper, delivering a medium- to full-bodied cigar. Only 4,100

lar 6 inch by 60 ring gauge size to the Reserva Collection with the release of VZ Reserva Soberano, hand-rolled

boxes of this special edition are being released worldwide.

with premium tobacco that stays true

Tabacalera SL.U., Madrid, Spain, Tel: +34 91 360 9000.

to its blend collection.

Aficionados will enjoy the bold yet

Vype ePod from BAT Wins UK Product of the Year Award for E-Cigarettes

creamy taste of this Soberano, which

The Vype ePod has won in the e-cigarette category at this year’s UK Product of the

collection blend features a Jamastrán

Year awards, the UK’s largest consumer survey of product innovation. The award

wrapper from Maya Selva Cigars’ own

follows Vype ePen 3’s award in the same category in 2019.

farm, Santa Eulalia. The binder and fill-

“This second successive win for a Vype product highlights the strength of

encompasses earthy and cedar aromas with hints of coffee. This Reserva

ers are blended from a selection of the

BAT’s new category product pipeline, the expertise of

best tobaccos of Honduras.

our UK-based Research and Development team and

Maya Selva Cigares,

demonstrates how innovation has remained a driving

Paris, France, Tel: +33 40 15 0565,

force behind our business,” said BAT in a statement.

Web: mayaselvacigars.com.

Product of the Year entries undergo a rigorous assessment process before more than 10,000 shoppers vote to name the winning products. The Vype ePod was commended by Product of the Year for “seamlessly blending style and satisfaction.” The device uses ceramic heating technology and its features include slot-in, slot-out magnetic cartridge and charging mechanisms.

“Since launching our first e-cigarette in the UK in 2013, we have made impressive progress, now offering a range of innovative, exciting products in more than 40 countries around the world.

Over that period BAT has invested over $4bn in the development, manufacture and commercialization of these products,” said BAT in a statement.

> Two new cigarillo varieties from Villiger, Corrida Brazil Club and Corrida Nicaragua Club, offer an exceptionally delicate and balanced filler finished with a hand-rolled wrapper from the respective country of origin, further promoting the development of aromas. Presented in 10-count tins.

Tobacco Products International

TPI 17

{Showcase} Quasar Cut Double-Guillotine Cigar Cutter with Open Surface Blades Colibri’s double guillotine cigar cutter with unique 440 stainless steel skeleton blades features a 62 ring gauge aperture for large cigars, and spring-loaded release for quick action. The Quasar pattern handles and release button continue the design theme of the entire line of Quasar accessories, while the ergonomic design delivers a sure grip. The Quasar Cut also features an innovative open-surface blade, allowing only the cutting edge to slice through the cigar. Eight different styles are offered: Metallic Black, Metallic Charcoal, Metallic Silver, Black + Chrome, Black + Rose, Matte Red, Matte Blue, and Matte Green. Gift box is included, and each product is backed by a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Colibri, New York, N.Y., U.S.A., Email: sales@colibri.com. Web: colibri.com.

More Styles for Le Grand ST Dupont Dual Flame Lighters The three original designs of Le Grand ST Dupont twin flame lighter range—patterned palladium; yellow gold with sunburst brown lacquer, and palladium with black natural lacquer—have grown since

OCB Rolling Papers Offers Datamatrix Authenticity Verification Technology

the range’s introduction in 2018.

Consumers can now verify the authenticity of OCB rolling paper booklets thanks

with a blue sunburst finish; Cigar Club

to a new technology used by the brand’s manufacturer: Datamatrix. Under This

(solid brass with precious yellow gold

technology, each booklet is assigned a unique code that identifies whether it is

finish and black natural lacquer); brushed

authentic or not, ensuring that customers have purchased an original product that

palladium; and Croco Dandy (natural lac-

meets the highest quality standards and is not counterfeit.

quer sun burst with croco print pattern.

The series is currently available in several additional finishes: natural lacquer

Designed specifically for cigar lovers with a double flame system, Le Grand ST Dupont is a bit larger than the Ligne 2 lighter yet still fits perfectly in the pocket and features the same iconic “cling” when opening the flip-top lid. Most importantly, the soft yellow flame gently Consumers need only download an application on their mobile device to

toasts cigars while the blue torch flame

read the Datamatrix code, such as i-nigma for IOS or Android. Simply scan the

helps to light them in a perfect circle.

code by placing the smart device about 10 or 15 centimeters from the booklet

Switching between soft and torch flame

and the application will automatically detect the code.

is achieved in a simple and easy gesture

If the booklet is an original OCB, a green screen will appear on the device.

by pushing the roller up.

If it is not an original OCB, then a red screen will be displayed, in which case

S.T. Dupont, Paris, France, Tel: +(33) 1

consumers should contact consumerservice@ocb.net.

53 91 30 00, Email: info@st-dupont.com,

Republic Technologies Intl., Perpignan, France, Web: ocb.net.

Web: st-dupont.com.

TPI 18

Q1 2020