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Category: Business & Finance

  • PCA Partners to Offer Cigar Retailers Financial Services

    PCA Partners to Offer Cigar Retailers Financial Services

    The Premium Cigar Association announced a new preferred vendor partnership with JeisonGermanGroup, in collaboration with NewtekBank, to offer specialized banking and lending solutions tailored for premium cigar retailers.

    Led by CEO Jeison German, the firm brings financial expertise and custom strategies to support PCA members, with access to services including business banking, loans from $5,000 to $15 million, POS and payment processing solutions, and support for insurance, payroll, HR, and IT.

    This initiative aims to strengthen financial stability and support business growth within the premium tobacco industry.

  • Dominican Republic Leads Premium Cigar Market with $1.3B in Exports

    Dominican Republic Leads Premium Cigar Market with $1.3B in Exports

    Iván Hernández Guzmán, the director of the Dominican Tobacco Institute (Intabaco), appeared on “Entre Periodistas,” and confirmed that he expects the nation’s cigar exports to surpass $1.34 billion this year. Hernández said the Dominican’s meticulous cigar-making process, from seed selection to aging, has helped build its global reputation. Tobacco and cigars were declared Cultural Heritage in 2022, emphasizing their role in national identity.

    Hernández said the industry generates 120,000 direct jobs, supporting thousands of families, and that women make up 70% of the workforce. He also called for market diversification, especially targeting China and Europe, and stressed the importance of training young artisans to preserve the tradition.

  • PCA Talks “Beautiful Bill’s” Impact on U.S. Cigar Industry

    PCA Talks “Beautiful Bill’s” Impact on U.S. Cigar Industry

    With the Trump Administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” now signed into law, the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) reached out to its members who have spent years frustratingly in a sort of limbo where cigars are sometimes but sometimes not treated like cigarettes or other tobacco products. The PCA said the Act introduces important policy shifts that provide both immediate benefits and notable challenges to premium cigar retailers.

     “On the positive side, PCA members will see immediate advantages from a temporary regulatory freeze on new FDA and HHS rules,” the statement said. “This provides retailers with temporary relief from new compliance burdens, enhancing short-term operational stability. Additionally, the Act significantly increases the small business tax deduction on qualified business income from 20% to 23%. This improvement directly benefits small and family-owned cigar retailers by lowering their overall tax liability, allowing more resources to be invested back into their businesses.  

    “While the Act provides meaningful short-term benefits, it also necessitates proactive management of new challenges. Strategic advocacy, ongoing economic analysis, and member education will be key in leveraging the opportunities and mitigating potential risks posed by these legislative changes.”

    Read the full statement here.

  • TIMB: Zimbabwe Can Produce 17B Cigarettes

    TIMB: Zimbabwe Can Produce 17B Cigarettes

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) said the country has the potential to manufacture 17 billion cigarette sticks, up from its current 4 billion. Since the government crafted the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan (TVCTP) in 2021, the nation’s cigarette manufacturing has increased 10%, but, on the back of a record-setting crop, TIMB says it could be significantly higher.

    “Now that we have reached and exceeded 300 million kgs of tobacco sold in 2025, it’s time to scale up local cigarette manufacturing,” said TIMB. “That’s a massive opportunity, let’s increase capacity utilization, attract new manufacturers and ensure more jobs, more exports and more local wealth creation. We call on interested entrepreneurs to invest in Zimbabwe’s tobacco value chain through partaking in cigarettes manufacture for export, processing and packing machinery, tobacco packaging materials, shisha, and cut tobacco.”  

  • Eastern Company Caps Cig Prices After Egypt Ups Taxes

    Eastern Company Caps Cig Prices After Egypt Ups Taxes

    Eastern Company announced that beginning today (July 1), prices for the Egyptian cigarette maker will be capped at EGP 45 ($0.90) per pack following recent tax bracket changes. Company CEO Hany Aman said the company had reached the upper limit of the previous tax bracket, and maintaining those prices was causing losses as rising raw material and transportation costs significantly increased production expenses.

    The new tax laws cap the lowest-tier cigarettes at EGP 48 ($0.96) and the mid-tier at EGP 69 ($1.38). Previously, the lowest tier retailed for EGP 38 ($0.76) per pack, with 60-65% of the price collected being tax. This past weekend, the government amended the Value Added Tax (VAT) on cigarettes, which will increase the minimum and maximum retail prices by 12% annually for three years starting in November.

    Sales were paused on Sunday and Monday to adjust pricing, with the new rates taking effect on Tuesday. Aman said the company is still assessing the full impact of the updated tax regulations and may provide further updates soon.

  • BAT COO Says Korea Key to Smokeless Expansion

    BAT COO Says Korea Key to Smokeless Expansion

    British American Tobacco (BAT) said it is focusing on South Korea as a strategic hub for its global smokeless transformation, citing the country’s tech-savvy consumers, dynamic regulatory landscape, and innovation-driven ecosystem. BAT Group Chief Operating Officer Johan Vandermeulen said Korea plays a vital role beyond sales, acting as a testing ground for the company’s next-generation products, during an interview with The Korea Herald.

    “Korea offers a unique blend of sophisticated consumers, cutting-edge technology, and a dynamic regulatory environment that makes it an ideal testing ground for our next-generation products,” said Vandermeulen.

    Vandermeulen called the company’s Sacheon facility “one of the best” in the global BAT network, and said with Korea now the second-largest heated tobacco market in the world (behind Japan), BAT is accelerating investments in product innovation, localization, and advanced manufacturing. BAT is also expanding its vapor brand VUSE in Korea with strict ingredient and marketing standards, while eyeing future opportunities for nicotine pouches, its fastest-growing category globally.

    Vandermeulen emphasized that tobacco harm reduction, responsible marketing, and clear, fair regulation are central to the company’s vision, but warned about the dangers of illicit vaping products, which he said undermine public trust and legitimate efforts.

    “We believe vaping has a vital role in encouraging adult smokers, who would otherwise continue smoking, to switch completely to smokeless alternatives,” Vandermeulen said. “But the category can only thrive if market order is preserved.”

  • Caliburn G4 Pro: ‘The Vaping Industry’s First Full Touchscreen Pod System”

    Caliburn G4 Pro: ‘The Vaping Industry’s First Full Touchscreen Pod System”

    Today (June 26), UWELL launched the Caliburn G4 Pro, the brand’s first device to feature a 2.51-inch full touchscreen. “Combining advanced technology with user-centric design, the G4 PRO offers a premium, personalized experience while maintaining simplicity and accessibility,” the company said.

    The device’s full touchscreen interface offers one-tap access to wattage adjustment, output mode switching, puff counter reset, and a swipe-down Smart Hub that offers easy customization and intuitive navigation.

    “With the G4 PRO, we’ve reimagined what a pod system can be,” said a UWELL spokesperson. “It’s not just a device—it’s a personalized, premium experience that makes advanced vaping technology effortless and enjoyable for users around the world.”

  • 22nd Century Announces Major Pinnacle Brand Expansion

    22nd Century Announces Major Pinnacle Brand Expansion

    22nd Century Group, Inc. expanded its Pinnacle product agreement with a “top-5 convenience store chain,” launching four new SKUs—two of which are low-nicotine VLN cigarettes (Gold and Menthol). These products will be available in 1,700 stores across 27 states, with sales starting late summer to early fall 2025, pending state approvals.

    Additionally, two Pinnacle moist snuff flavors (straight and wintergreen) will roll out in the second half of 2025. 22nd Century will handle manufacturing, distribution, and tax compliance, with VLN products made using their proprietary low-nicotine tobacco. This deal also opens the door for future expansion to other retail and c-store chains.

    “We are very excited to launch our second partner VLN product and branded moist snuff products, leveraging the well-known Pinnacle brand sold at one of the largest convenience store chains in the U.S.,” said Larry Firestone, 22nd Century Group Chief Executive Officer. “Pinnacle’s conventional cigarette and cigarillo products have built a strong sales track record with consumers, owing to extensive marketing and awareness directed by the chain and a compelling value proposition for adult smokers. We believe Pinnacle-branded products in the VLN and moist snuff categories can see similar success with customers at this c-store chain’s more than 1,700 stores.”

  • PMI Launches IQOS ILUMA i in Egypt

    PMI Launches IQOS ILUMA i in Egypt

    Philip Morris Misr launched the IQOS ILUMA i in Egypt, the “latest and most advanced smoke-free device in its portfolio,” according to the company. The device features the Smartcore Induction System, which heats tobacco without combustion, delivering a cleaner, residue-free experience. It includes smart features like a touchscreen, pause mode, FlexPuff, and improved battery technology.

    “We leverage science, world-leading brands, and commercial capabilities to provide better alternatives to our consumers,” said Ali Nevzat Karaman, managing director of Philip Morris Egypt and Levant. “Following the introduction of IQOS ILUMA in Egypt in 2023, we are now taking the IQOS experience to new heights. IQOS ILUMA i is our most innovative device to date—our flagship product in the portfolio of scientifically substantiated, heat-not-burn smoke-free systems.”

    The IQOS ILUMA i is compatible with existing TEREA sticks, avoiding the need for format changes. This launch supports Philip Morris International’s vision of a smoke-free future, backed by over $14 billion in R&D and a goal to eliminate cigarettes. Smoke-free products now make up 42% of PMI’s net revenues, with 38.6 million adult users worldwide as of December 2024.

  • JTI Philippines Eyes Expansion into RRP Manufacturing for Export

    JTI Philippines Eyes Expansion into RRP Manufacturing for Export

    Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Philippines said it is exploring plans to expand its manufacturing operations in Batangas to include reduced-risk products (RRPs), with an eye on exporting to more markets across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

    Currently, JTI’s facility in Malvar, Batangas, produces traditional cigarettes for at least 17 countries, mostly in Asia, according to General Manager Guilherme Silva. As demand for alternatives to combustible cigarettes rises, Silva confirmed JTI is considering producing RRPs—such as heated-tobacco products—at the Philippine facility.

    “It’s a factory that has a huge footprint, but also that still has a lot of space to be increased,” Silva said. “These new categories of RRPs are becoming more and more important, not only in the Philippines but also across different markets in the Asia-Pacific region. We’re definitely exploring which of these categories [we could] produce from the Philippines, [and how we can] export them.”

    Last year, the company introduced its heated-tobacco device Ploom X Advanced to the Philippine market, mirroring its success in Japan. While current production of Ploom’s tobacco sticks remains in Japan and Poland, JTI has signaled openness to expanding manufacturing based on market growth.