Announcing the winners of the 2016 Golden Leaf Awards
TR Staff Report
Tobacco Reporter announced the winners of its 2016 Golden Leaf Awards during the Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum gala dinner in Brussels. Recipients accepted trophies for their accomplishments in five categories—Most impressive public service initiative, Most promising product introduction, Most exciting newcomer to the industry; Most outstanding service to the industry and BMJ most committed to quality. The Golden Leaf Awards are sponsored exclusively by BMJ.
British American Tobacco won a Golden Leaf Award in the “Most impressive public service initiative” category for its Science & Technology 2015 Report.
For a number of years, BAT has been raising awareness about tobacco science and its research in support of tobacco harm reduction. The company strives to be open and transparent about its research, exploring traditional methods of science communications, as well as new approaches.
The Science & Technology 2015 Report details BAT’s significant progress in the science of tobacco harm reduction over the past year. The report solidifies the company’s approach taken on reduced-risk substantiation of next-generation products, the priority of product stewardship across the risk spectrum, plant biotechnology, aerosol science and more.
The report’s format has evolved significantly, with the introduction of new research fields and communications platforms, such as an interactive PDF and a downloadable e-book.
By showcasing the science through his report, the company can continue an open dialogue with regulators, public health representatives, scientific peers and other interested parties.
In March, the American Chemical Society published excerpts of BAT’s report in its publication Chemical & Engineering News, distributing the information to approximately 160,000 chemists worldwide—a new audience.
This “supplement” represents a first for the tobacco industry, and the widest circulation of a tobacco-industry scientific report to date.
Most promising new product introduction
Mane has won a Golden Leaf Award in the “Most promising new product introduction” category for its contributions to the development of new product segments such as crushable flavored capsules and cigarette side-stream aromatization.
For many years, Mane’s Tobacco Business Unit has been at the forefront of technical innovation in flavoring systems for tobacco and, more recently, electronic tobacco-related products.
Some of the evolved technologies have been key in establishing new segments, including emanates (beta-cyclodextrin complexes) and molecular encapsulation technology, for use in cigarette wrapper paper for side stream aromatization.
Most notably, the companies’ efforts have also contributed to the success of crushable capsules in cigarette filters that allow consumers to flavor the mainstream smoke according to their individual preferences. Initially considered an interesting niche product, such crushable filters have since become a major segment in many markets—and one that is still growing.
These new products cater perfectly to the general trend toward increasingly personalized products that has in recent years also become evident in the tobacco market. Over the past 20 years, Mane has invested heavily in product development, taking into account not only rapidly changing consumer preferences but also the increasingly strict regulatory climate.
The crushable flavored capsules are a perfect example of its commitment to deliver the quality, flavor and choice that modern consumers desire.
The Moon Group won a Golden Leaf Award in the “Most exciting newcomer to the industry” category.
Founded in 2010 and based in Shanghai, the Moon Group has established itself quickly as a global leader in roll-your-own tobacco papers.
Backed by expertise and resources of Hengfeng Paper, the Moon Group has an unparalleled supply chain, along with strong, independent R&D capabilities in the field of RYO papers. The Moon Group can provide RYO big rolls, bobbins—with or without glue and watermarks—and booklets of all kinds and sizes. The company can also provide OEM service.
The Moon Group recently set up its first factory, with advanced fully automatic production lines from Europe.
With a production capacity of 100 million booklets a year, the company is now the biggest manufacturer of RYO papers in China. While production capacity is important, the Moon Group’s primary focus is on quality and sustainability, as evidenced by its factories’ ISO 9001 and FSC A000525 certifications.
Committed to product quality and customer service, the Moon Group strives for win-win partnerships with its clients for the long term.
The Moon Group is also the exclusive distributor of Republic Technology’s OCB brand in China. The firm aims to offer an ever-greater selection of styles and qualities to its customers.
Coley Ryan Perique Tobacco has won a Golden Leaf Award in the “BMJ most outstanding service to the industry” category for Perique tobacco.
Perique is a unique type of tobacco that is grown exclusively on a small swath of land near New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
It is used as a “condiment tobacco” to make nearly 100 different brand-name pipe tobacco blends from around the world. Tobacco blenders prize perique for its ability to add a delectable nuance to their blends.
Perique’s existence has been in jeopardy more than once—first in the late 1990s and again in 2005, when the only remaining firm handling Perique was about to close its doors.
Recognizing the unique value of perique, Mark Ryan, president of Daughters & Ryan Tobacco in Kenly, North Carolina, USA, purchased the L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco Co. and a new era for Perique began.
To protect and build the product reputation, he established best practices from seed to finished product.
Every leaf handled is hand-stemmed and turned a minimum of three times. The tobacco is fermented anaerobically under high pressure in oak whiskey barrels for a minimum of 12 months before it is ready for sale.
Daughters & Ryan can rightly claim to have preserved the culture, history and tradition of Perique for tobacco lovers worldwide.
BMJ most committed to quality
Nicopure Labs has won a Golden Leaf Award in the “BMJ Most committed to quality” category for its unwavering commitment to the safety and integrity of its products and manufacturing processes.
Since its creation in 2009, Nicopure Labs has invested significant efforts and resources in developing the purest, best-tasting and highest-quality e-liquids.
Headquartered in Florida, the company sources its ingredients exclusively from reputable U.S.-based suppliers.
To guarantee the integrity of its manufacturing process, Nicopure Labs blends its liquids in a state-of-the-art, ISO 7 cleanroom environment.
The company’s production processes are highly automated and closely supervised by closed-circuit monitoring equipment.
Recognizing that safety and integrity are ongoing commitments, the company has invested heavily in additional cleanroom capabilities. A new such facility, co-designed with a leader in pharmaceutical construction, is in the process of being completed.
Committed to consumer safety, Nicopure Labs uses only USP FEMA/GRAS flavorings. Its products are free of diacetyl and acetylpropionyl-free. All e-liquids are tested by a third party using advanced technologies such as high-performance liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
In addition, Nicopure Labs routinely tests incoming products and materials in-house.
Further demonstrating its commitment to professionalism, Nicopure Labs was the first U.S. e-liquid manufacturer to provide child-proof bottles with best-by dating and lot numbers, along with tamper-resistant seals—in advance of regulatory requirements, such as the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015.