Tobacco Retailer articles from August 2005

Tobacco Retailer archives from August 2005

Cause and effect.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
August 1, 2005... WHEN A STATE ANNOUNCES that it is looking into the possibility of raising the excise tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products that are sold within its borders, it usually produces a list of altruistic reasons for the increase. Some of the...

Survey: retailers must differentiate.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
August 1, 2005... RETAILERS WILL LOSE shopper loyalty unless they differentiate themselves in the eyes of consumers, according to a new IBM Survey of American Shoppers. Those surveyed say lack of distinction in services, products and store atmosphere, as well as...

Vermont enacts fire-safe cigarette law.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... On June 17, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas signed into law legislation requiring all cigarettes sold in the state to be "fire-safe," meaning self-extinguishing, as of May 1, 2006. The Rutland (Vt.) Herald reported that nearly 40 state residents...

Fewer Canadian teens purchasing cigarettes.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... For the first time since Health Canada began tracking retailer compliancy levels for illegal cigarette sales to teens, Canadian retailers have exceeded the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy's 10-year target objective of 80 percent compliance or...

Parsons elected to UST board of directors.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Andrew J. Parsons)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... On June 23, Andrew J. Parsons was elected to the UST Inc., Greenwich, Conn., board of directors. Parsons is director emeritus at McKinsey & Company, where he retired as a director and senior partner in 2000 and served on its advisory board...

Tennessee governor thwarts tax increase.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
August 1, 2005... On June 20, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen vetoed legislation that would have increased the cigarette excise tax of 20 cents per pack to 70 cents per pack on certain brands of cigarettes. The Tennessean wrote that Gov. Bredesen vetoed the...

FreyBoy to offer Ritzenhoff ashtrays.(Freyboy Tobacco Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Ritzenhoff, a leading German producer of tableware and gifts, has announced a new partnership with Las Vegas-based FreyBoy Tobacco. Freyboy will now exclusively carry the Ritzenhoff collection of crystal ashtrays in its seven Las Vegas...

Palombo joins Altadis executive team.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Larry Palombo, Altadis USA Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Altadis U.S.A., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has announced the appointment of Larry Palombo as senior director of tobacco. Palombo brings more than 30 years of experience in the tobacco industry, including 22 years with General Cigar and nine years...

Merchants file anti-trust class action lawsuit.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
August 1, 2005... On June 22, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in Connecticut against major credit-card companies and banks alleging illegal fixing, collusion and interchange fees. The anti-trust class action suit was filed by the law firm Robins,...

Study: state-sponsored ads curb youth smoking.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
August 1, 2005... Youth who view anti-smoking television ads sponsored by states are less likely to smoke, according to a study published in the July 2005 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Researchers from Bridging the Gap, a policy...

General Tobacco names distributor of Silver line.(B&W Wholesale Distributors Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In June, Miami-based General Tobacco announced that it had appointed B&W Wholesale Distributors Inc., Murfreesboro, Tenn., to be the U.S. master distributor for its Silver cigarettes. B&W is a leading distributor of private-label and...

Many states raising minimum wage.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Even though the U.S. Congress hasn't raised the minimum wage since 1997, many states are giving the nod to increasing rates above the federally mandated $5.15 an hour amount. According to www.Stateline.org, minimum wage increases took...

Westec launches Operational Audit Services.(Westec Interactive)
August 1, 2005... Westec InterActive, Irvine, Calif., has announced that its new Westec Operational Audit Services are now available to retailers throughout the United States. "We are taking interactive remote video monitoring, or iRVM, beyond reactive...

Timber Wolf announces contest winner.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Swedish Match North America and Timber Wolf recently completed their national "Party with Your Pack" sweepstakes, awarding the ultimate summer gear giveaway: an all-inclusive cook-out to party with their pack of family and friends. Gale...

Alec Bradley appoints reps, distributor.(Alec Bradley Cigar Corp., Bondele Cigar Company)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Alec Bradley Cigar Co., Plantation, Fla., has announced that Medalist, the company's newest premium cigar, will be supported by two new company representatives and a nationwide Canadian distributor. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "These...

Heavenly appoints first sales rep firms.(Poehler's LLC, TMC Sales, Topper Sales)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Heavenly Cigar Company, Naples, Fla., has announced the appointment of three sales representative firms, according to Heather L. Phillips, Heavenly's founder and CEO. "Over the years, our sales staff, along with the Angels, have provided...

Robert Burton launches corporate Web site.(Robert Burton and Associates)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Robert Burton Associates, Ltd. has launched its new corporate Web site, www.rbaltd.com. I mages of merchandise are offered as flash pictures on the home page, along with a chronological history of the company. One click on a brand logo opens a...

Altadis factory wins numerous awards.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Altadis U.S.A., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has announced that Congar International Corp., its factory in Puerto Rico, was the recipient of multiple honors at the third annual Awards of Excellence to Employers and Academic Institutions Ceremony. This...

FKI Security Group acquires Adesco Safe.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
August 1, 2005... FKI Security Group, New Albany, Ind., has acquired Adesco Safe, Paramount, Calif. According to Earl Halls, president of Adesco Safe, this deal will have "tremendous positive impact on the industry, since security hardware distributors and...

Many kids don't think tobacco is addictive.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
August 1, 2005... Although most children share a less-than-glowing opinion of smoking, a significant number, about 25 percent, believe cigarettes aren't addictive and kicking the habit is easy, a new study suggests. Such views were part of a range of mixed...

Federal legislation would curtail cigarette deliveries by the USPS.(WASHINGTON REPORT)(United States Postal Service)
August 1, 2005... "UNDELIVERABLE" is how U.S. Rep. John McHugh, R-N.Y., would like to classify cigarettes and other tobacco products being shipped through the mail via the U.S. Postal Service. On June 8, McHugh introduced a bill that would ban the delivery...

Lighting up sales: staying on the cutting edge of consumer trends can boost lighter sales.(COVER STORY)(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... MANUFACTURERS, RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS ALIKE are discovering that a lot has changed in the world of lighter designs, both in materials and technology. A time-honored necessity in the world of tobacco, lighter products have out-lived their...

Moving up: legislative pressures shift deep-discount cigarettes into a new realm.(RETAILING)
August 1, 2005... TIMES CONTINUE TO CHANGE for the fourth-tier, deep-discount cigarette category. The heyday of uninhibited growth that followed the initial years of the Master Settlement Agreement is mostly a memory. Subsequent participating manufacturers...

Accessible accessories: a diverse selection of ancillary products can help consumers express themselves.(PRODUCT PROFILE)(tobacco industries going for varieties of cigarettes)
August 1, 2005... CIGAR AND CIGARETTE SMOKERS in search of the perfect smoke can now choose from a wide range of stylized accessories to make their experience more enjoyable. Whether it's clipping cigars in style, building a lighter collection or carrying...

One for all: in less than five years, NATO has left an indelible mark on tobacco-industry legislative issues.(OPERATIONS)(National Association of Tobacco Outlets )
August 1, 2005... IT'S BEEN SAID THAT IF YOU TRY TO BE ALL THINGS to all people you'll end up pleasing no one. Well, in less than five years, thanks in no small part to its determination and passion for the tobacco industry, the National Association of Tobacco...

State of the states.(NATO NEWS)(rules regarding smoke bans)
August 1, 2005... THIS YEAR, NATO HAS monitored and responded to more cigarette and tobacco tax increase proposals and statewide smoking-ban bills considered by state legislatures than in any of the previous five years that NATO has been fighting legislative...

Compliance awareness.(THE PERSONNEL TOUCH)(customer relations of tobacco industry)
August 1, 2005... I've written in the past about the importance of properly training your sales associates on how to effectively ask for ID in the sale of tobacco. And by effectively, I mean in a safe and customer-friendly way, since the last thing we want is...

Swedish Match enhances Longhorn.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Swedish Match North America has increased the amount of tobacco in every can of Longhorn by 10 percent and introduced New Longhorn Fine Cut Wintergreen. Longhorn will now be available in five varieties: Long Cut and Fine Cut Wintergreen, Fine...

Skoal expands Pouches line.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company has announced the launch of Skoal Apple Blend Pouches, the latest in a line of flavored pouch introductions from Skoal. Apple Blend Pouches, which combine rich, premium tobacco with the crisp flavor of juicy...

Torano revives Virtuoso line.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Torano Cigars has announced the revival of the Carlos Torano Virtuoso, the most full-bodied and full-flavored cigar to bear the company's name. The cigar is available in four shapes: Robusto (4.75 X 52), Churchill (7 X 50), Toro (5.5 X 56) and...

Puros Indios creates split-box presentation.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Puros Indios Cigars, Inc., has devised a simple solution to a problem tobacco retailers face: too many cigar boxes, not enough display space. The "split-box" concept allows retailers to cut the display requirements for Puros Indios products in...

Arango now distributing GARCUP.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Arango Cigar Co. has been appointed a national distributor for the GARCUP portable ashtray. GARCUP is a cup-shaped ashtray that slips into cup holders of cars, golf carts, boats, trucks and RVs. Made of heat- and salt water-resistant polymer...

Scripto adds sports C-Thru line.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Scripto has introduced a new line of C-Thru, textured grip lighters for the sports enthusiast. The new sports-themed lighters feature a clear wrap design, combined with a raised texture, creating a 3-D effect and feel. The five-piece collection...

American Stogies available in flavors.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Indianhead has enhanced its American Stogies line of premium cigars with the introduction of four flavored styles, which come in two sizes. The 4.25 X 40 Petite Corona is now available in Irish Cream and is packaged eight cigars per tin. The...

New cigarette filter available.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Invention Submission Corporation has announced that one of its clients, an inventor from London, has designed an enhanced filter for cigarettes. It is designed to reduce the inhalation of tar and other harmful ingredients, making the cigarette...

Smoke Screen combats smoker's breath.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Inhale Solutions, Inc. has announced the nationwide rollout of ElimiTaste Smoke Screen Insane MaxxMint, the first Xylitol-based chewing gum formulated to combat smoker's breath. Smoke Screen is a sugar-free and aspartame-free gum designed to...

Ancient Warrior latest Beach label.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Beach Cigar Group has gone national to debut its latest premium cigar, the Ancient Warrior by K. Hansotia & Co. Beach produces and distributes both the K. Hansotia and Gurkha lines of premium cigars and Ancient Warrior is more affordable than...

Miami Cigar adds to Tatiana offering.(Product News)
August 1, 2005... Miami Cigar & Company has introduced three new connoisseur flavors to its Tatiana flavored cigar lineup. The new flavors--"Night Cap," "Waking Dream" and "Groovy Blue"--offer exotic, complex blends of flavorings. Night Cap marries vanilla,...