Despite a demand from adult consumers, retailers are continually forced to defend their right to sell flavored cigars responsibly. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor While tobacco has long been a bread-and-butter product for convenience stores, accounting for millions in individual unit sales and boosting the profits from the average smoker’s market basket, it remains a…
More Smokers Turn To E-Cigarettes
E-cigs “are growing in popularity . . . no question about that,” says Chad Maynard, spokesman for ElectronicCigarette.net on the category. Electronic cigarettes might not be marketed as smoking cessation aids, but recent studies posted in the American Journal of Public Health suggest that many smokers are turning the the product for that reason. Smokers…
Darker Cigarillos
Mild cigarillos are popular products in the cigar category by a 10 to 1 margin. Swedish Match wants to expand across both its cigar brands, as White Owl and Game introduce Black Cigarillos. Each black cigarillo is covered in a dark wrapper, and filled with finely blended tobaccos. They deliver a smooth, sweet flavor with…
HillBilly Brand Pocket Lighters
Scripto introduces new HillBilly Brand Licensed Pocket Lighters to its product line. Designed to target a rapidly growing fan base of patriotic, fun loving, country music fans and outdoor enthusiasts: the HillBilly Nation. The lighters will be available in five assorted designs featuring fishing, patriotic, HillBilly Hottie, camouflage and a country music guitar. The HillBilly…
Fresh Hand-Wrapped Cigars
Imported Ashford Bentley’s factory-fresh, hand-wrapped cigars have a natural shade wrapper with a mild, smooth taste, and consistent smoke with a perfect draw every time. The cigars are always imported fresh from the factory. Ashford Bentleys are packaged in a 20-cigar bundle and feature printed quotes from the most famous cigar smokers in world history.…
Leveling The RYO Playing Field
In recent years, roll-your-own tobacco machines have surfaced at various retail locations putting convenience stores at a competitive disadvantage on price. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor America, and in particular its lawmakers, remains caught in a love-hate relationship with tobacco. That push-pull has resulted in very well-publicized attempts to dissuade Americans from using tobacco, or…
Specially Priced Black Cigarillos
Swisher International has introduced new Swisher Sweets Black Cigarillos with a dark maduro-like wrapper that delivers a distinctive, rich aroma as well as a slower-burning, smoother smoke. The convenient cigarillo size is ideal for today’s on-the-go lifestyles, offering retailers the opportunity to take advantage of strong consumer demand for a truly distinctive tobacco product. Exceptionally…
Satisfy Your Krave
Vapor Corp.’s Krave brand of e-cigarettes offers Krave1000 / Krave1001, a complete retail rack-ready, rechargeable e-cigarette program. Simple to use and simple to sell, Krave is a favorite among e-cigarette users for its taste and design. Krave1000 / Krave1001 is available in four varying nicotine levels and in tobacco and menthol flavors, along with starter…
Natural Cigarette Alternatives
Bluegrass Blends USA has introduced Rockfield Natural Cigarette Alternatives with no tobacco, no nicotine and no nitrosamines. Rockfield Natural Cigarette Alternatives sell for up to 70% less than traditional cigarettes and provide a low-cost alternative for consumers seeking relief from the high cost of traditional cigarettes. Benefits include no costly MSA tobacco taxes and higher…
GAO Suggests Equalizing Tobacco Tax Rates
A new report finds shift in using pipe versus roll-your-own tobacco and large cigars versus small cigars to avoid hefty taxes. This week, the federal Government Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report titled “Large Disparities in Rates for Smoking Products Trigger Significant Market Shifts to Avoid Higher Taxes.” The document shows the impact of the…