Tobacco Retailer articles from December 2001

Tobacco Retailer archives from December 2001

State of the state. (From the Editor).
December 1, 2001... Our task, in this the final 2001 issue of Tobacco Retailer, was to assess the state of the tobacco industry as it relates to the CTS owner and operator as the year 2002 looms. After kicking around several ways to make some sense of this...

B&W tests advance lights cigarette. (Industry News).(Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In November, Louisville, Ky.-based Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation launched Advance Lights in Indianapolis, a premium cigarette that combines a special three-part Trionic filter and patented tobacco curing process to deliver a smooth...

RJR puts in bid for Santa Fe Natural. (Industry News).(R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc.)(Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In a move that caught many in the tobacco industry by surprise, on Thanksgiving Day, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., announced that it had agreed to acquire 100 percent of the shares of privately held Santa Fe...

Vector tobacco launches Omni nationwide. (Industry News).(Vector Group Ltd. introduces reduced carcinogen cigarettes)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... On Nov. 5, Miami-based Vector Group Ltd. introduced Omni, the first reduced carcinogen cigarette that tastes, smokes and burns just like any other premium cigarette. Omni cigarettes are available in select retail stores nationwide and are...

Star Scientific test markets 'stonewall' snuff. (Industry News).(Star Scientific Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In October, Star Scientific, Inc., Chester, Va., launched test marketing of two moist and dry-snuff products low in tobacco-specific nitrosamines brand-named Stonewall. The two non-combustible tobacco products were sold in a selection of stores...

Vector to acquire Medallion. (Industry News).(Vector Group Ltd.)(Medallion Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... On Nov. 15, Miami-based Vector Group Ltd. entered into a definitive agreement with The Medallion Company, Inc., a discount cigarette manufacturer headquartered in Richmond, Va, and its principal stockholder, Gary L. Hall, whereby Medallion will...

Philip Morris to change parent name; tobacco group to remain unchanged. (Industry News).(Altria Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In November, New York-based Philip Morris Companies Inc., parent to tobacco, food and beer producing companies, announced it will ask shareholders to approve changing its name to Altria Group, Inc. The corporation stressed that its operating...

Court dismisses smuggling suit against RJR. (Industry News).(RJR Nabisco Holdings Corp. )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... A federal appeals court in October upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit by the Canadian government alleging cigarette smuggling by Winston-Salem, N.C.-based R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Inc., the Wall Street Journal reported. In a 2-1 decision,...

Philip Morris raising pack price; others to follow. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... As many predicted, in October New York-based Philip Morris, Inc., is increasing its wholesale cigarette prices by 5 cents per pack, or 2 percent, for all of its brands. In the memo that was sent to the wholesalers, Philip Morris indicated...

Report: Youth smoking continues to decline. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In October, New York-based Philip Morris U.S.A. expressed encouragement over the findings in the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse conducted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which shows a continuing...

Courts dismiss cases against tobacco companies. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Federal courts in Texas and New Mexico have dismissed two lawsuits filed by Native American tribes against major domestic tobacco companies seeking reimbursement for treatment of tobacco-related diseases. In one ruling, U.S. District Judge...

Arkansas board of health approves smoking ban. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Arkansas' State Board of Health in October approved a restaurant smoking ban, rejecting arguments by restaurateurs that it would hurt businesses. The ban exempts bars, bowling alleys and restaurant patios. Health Department director Fay...

Star Scientific appeals tobacco settlement. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Star Scientific, Inc., Chester, Va., has told a federal appeals that the company should not be forced to join the $206-billion Master Settlement Agreement between major cigarette manufacturers and 46 state attorneys general. Star...

Canada raises tobacco taxes again. (Industry News).
December 1, 2001... Canada's federal government and the country's provinces have agreed to raise tobacco taxes by up to $4.50 (about $2.83 in U.S. dollars), Reuters reported. The move is expected to generate about $240 million in additional revenue for the federal...

Washington voters approve highest cigarette tax. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Voters in Washington state on Nov. 6 approved a ballot initiative to raise the state's cigarette tax by 60 cents to $ 1.425 per pack, giving the state the highest cigarette tax in the nation, the Seattle Times reported. Proponents of...

Arango increases warehouse size. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Arango Cigar Co., Northbrook, Ill., has expanded its new warehouse facility by 45 percent. Arango moved to a larger, 14,000-square-foot building in 1998 and in September this year completed a 6,500 square-foot addition that will provide more...

Japanese testing cigarette ID system. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Vending machines have long been popular with Japanese consumers, and now retailers are testing a new technology to allow consumers who are legally old enough to buy cigarettes and pay for them with the same ID card, Reuters reported in...

Cupido cigars completes nicaraguan mercy mission. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... On Oct. 6, 60 indigent Nicaraguans started new lives thanks to Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Cupido Cigars and Operation Walk. On that date, 150 orthopedic physicians, technicians, physical therapists and administrators brought their mercy mission...

Ivins new president of DjEEP lighters. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In November, DjEEP Lighters, Paris, announced the appointment of Scott Ivins as the company's new resident. Ivins has 20 years of global sales experience and comes to DjEEP from Perfumer's Workshop, an international fragrance and grooming...

Brown leaf names new executive VP. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Guntersville, Ala.-based Brown Leaf Company, makers and importers of Yumuri, Villega Reales and Francisco Hernandez cigars, has appointed Cynthia Bradford de la Fuente to the position of executive vice president, where she will report directly...

Indian-tax ruling comes under fire. (Washington Report).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In October, the National Association of Convenience Stores, the New York Association of Convenience Stores and MWS Enterprises, a convenience-store company from New York state, asked the United States Supreme Court to review a New York...

Straight from the source: Retailers, distributors air their views on the state of the CTS and tobacco industries. (State of the Industry - Industry Interviews).
December 1, 2001... If you want to know how a car engine works, you don't ask a plumber. If you need information on the intricacies of the Internet, a fireman might not be the right person to ask. So when we needed to get a firm grasp on the state of the tobacco...

Survey says...credit suisse first Boston takes the pulse of the nation's tobacco retailers and wholesalers. (State of the Industry CSFB Survey).
December 1, 2001... Want to get an idea of how the typical CTS owner/operator runs his business? All right. He has a small number of locations and is currently stockpiling inventory. She sells most premium brands, but is finding that her customers are buying more...

Forging ahead: After a solid 2001 trade associations hope for more stability in the coming year. (State of the Industry Trading in Good Faifth).
December 1, 2001... It was a simple statement, but one worth stressing nonetheless. Pat Witherspoon, the president of the International Tobacco Expo (ITE) based in Las Vegas, didn't need to analyze any data or do any in-depth research on the Internet to determine...

Smoke screens: Alternatives to traditional cigarettes may have retailers reassessing their display priorities. (Product Profile).
December 1, 2001... When attempting to assess the state of the tobacco industry as it relates to CTS sales, specifically the cigarette segment, you can do worse than draw comparisons to the television industry. Back in the day, watching television came down to...

Enrich family, and help others. (Tax Tips).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... On September 11, the entire nation watched in disbelief as the horrendous events of the day unfolded in New York and Washington, D.C. Because succession planning is so essential to business owners and their families, this article is must...

Doubly blended doral. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Doral has announcing the biggest upgrade in the brand's history, bringing premium taste to the savings segment with an upgraded product. Doral's better-blended flavor is the result of the new Doral double-blending process, which uses a...

New pipe honors respected author. (Products).(James B. Russell, Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... For actors, one of the hallmarks of recognition is winning an Oscar, but for best-selling pipe book author Richard Carleton Hacker, it is the creation of a limited-edition pipe in his honor. Thus was created the Richard Carleton Hacker...

Box art, ad campaign pay homage to Cuban tradition. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... La Tradicion Cubana, Inc., has created new box art and an advertising campaign to celebrate its heritage as one of the few surviving cigar factories in the United States that preserves traditional Cuban cigar-making techniques. The company's...

Metrologic laser bar-code scanner. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Metrologic Instruments, Inc. has introduced the MS5145 Eclipse, a laser-based, economically priced, handheld barcode scanner that features Metrologic's patented CodeGate technology. CodeGate gives the operator control over targeting the desired...

Puff N snuff puts butts in their place. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Skywords Aviation LLC has made available to retailers and wholesalers in the United States the Puff N Snuff cigarette extinguisher. The Puff N Snuff attaches to a disposable lighter and allows the smoker to extinguish his or her cigarette...

NAS releases latest vignette-card series. (Products).(Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... This winter on specially marked Natural American Spirit cigarette packs, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company will be releasing the sixth edition of its Vignette Fact Card Series. The latest edition is called A Tribute to the Endangered, Set 2 and...

DjEEP luxury disposable lighters. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... DjEEP has announced the introduction of DjEEP Luxury Lighters in single-unit blister cards and three-tray counter-display units. The new Luxury Lighters are available in three metallic finishes: gold, silver and copper. The new lighters are...

La perla habana goes bland. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... The latest offering from La Perla Habana packs the punch desired by seasoned smokers, but is distinguishable from other brawny cigars by its claro, rather than maduro, wrapper. "Blond by La Perla Habana" is a Dominican-made premium cigar with a...

Puros indios targets budget-minded smoker. (Products).
December 1, 2001... Puros Indios has launched its new budget-priced Genuine line of premium cigars, which are manufactured in Danli, Honduras. The Genuine line cigars are medium to full-bodied with a delicate flavor and aroma. The Genuine combines a Dominican...

Crush your drives, not your cigars. (Products).
December 1, 2001... Burlingame Cigar and Golf has introduced the Cigar Golf Bag, the most complete cigar accessory on the market. The Cigar Golf Bag stands 8.5 inches tall and 2.5 inches in diameter. Its four crush-proof tubes hold cigars up to eight inches long...

Philip Morris to offer special Marlboro blend. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Philip Morris Cos. Inc. is planning to release a new version of its top-selling Marlboro cigarettes as a limited edition during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. The company will sell Marlboro Special Blend at retail from Nov. 19 through...

DRI-DAMP takes the guesswork out of cigar smoking. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... The new DRI-DAMP by R&E Enterprises, LLC, allows the cigar smoker to physically sample the moisture content of a cigar. The calibrated device allows the cigar to be checked without damaging it. A probe is inserted into the cut end of the cigar...

No gamble with new republic Tobacco offering. (Products).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Republic Tobacco L.P. has introduced Gambler Cigarette Tobacco packaged in a 6-ounce reseal-able bag. Gambler, a value-priced premium American blend, is suitable for hand or machine rolling as well as injector usage. The new item is packed 36...

Cigar-maker unveils American spirit. (Products).(Felipe Gregoria)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Beginning on Sept. 17, Felipe Gregorio premium cigars have included a second cigar band to commemorate the tragedy of Sept. 11 and symbolize America's solidarity. In addition to the usual decorative bands, all Felipe Gregorio cigars now fly the...

Felipe Gregario releases sole 2001 maduro. (Products).(cigar maker)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Felipe Gregorio has announced that the shape used for this year's maduro cigar will be the Centenario Classic Obsidian. Each year Felipe Gregorio selects one cigar out of its six-cigar Centenario Classic line to produce it as a maduro and this...

Torano line honors Cuban expatriates. (Products).
December 1, 2001... Torano Cigars' new line of box-pressed premium cigars pays homage to the Cuban cigar-making families who fled after the Cuban Revolution. Most of the Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan cigars enjoyed throughout the world today owe their origins...