CEO Larry Firestone said the approvals clear the way for VLN and partner brands to launch in more than 2,000 retail outlets by the second half of 2025.

“Our products are the only combustible cigarettes that meet the FDA’s reduced-nicotine criteria,” Firestone said. “These commercial launches and our readiness once we receive state approval to scale availability to all 50 states for the entire U.S. cigarette market continues to demonstrate that there need not be any commercial barriers to adopting this FDA policy, which could be the most impactful health decision in a generation.”

The move comes as the FDA considers a national low-nicotine mandate. VLN cigarettes, which contain 95% less nicotine than conventional brands, are the only combustible products that meet the FDA’s proposed standards.

The post 22nd Century Group Expands VLN Cigarette Sales Across U.S. first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

Backed by strong momentum in 2025 and growing consumer demand, SNU has rapidly gained distribution in convenience stores, vape shops, and wholesalers nationwide.

“This fight is expected to break Wembley attendance records and reach millions globally,” said Omar Ali, Marketing Director at SNÜ. “It’s exactly the kind of platform we need to show consumers that tobacco-free nicotine pouches aren’t just another product category – they’re the future of nicotine.”

The sponsorship includes ringside advertising, digital activations, and VIP hospitality, with plans to leverage the exposure to grow sales and retailer partnerships throughout the UK and Europe.

The post SNU Sponsors Heavyweight Title Fight first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

Meulemeester is currently president of Western Europe at Barry Callebaut Group, a global chocolate and cocoa organization, where she is a member of the executive leadership team, responsible for leading Barry Callebaut Group’s largest business segment and driving strategic initiatives across the region. Meulemeester held several other senior roles at Barry Callebaut Group, leading growth accelerations, transformation, and business turnarounds in different geographies, including in the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining Barry Callebaut Group, Meulemeester spent seven years with Mars Inc. and worked at Sara Lee earlier in her career.

The post BAT Announces Management Board Changes first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

The webcast will be hosted by Emmanuel Babeau, Chief Financial Officer, and will include a discussion of PMI’s financial results and a Q&A session with the investment community. The webcast will be in a listen-only mode. The webcast may also be accessed on mobile devices by downloading PMI’s Investor Relations App at www.pmi.com/irapp.

The webcast recording, slides, and script will be available at www.pmi.com/2025Q2earnings for one year post-event.

The post PMI to Host 2Q, First-Half Webcast first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

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.

The post PCA Partners to Offer Cigar Retailers Financial Services first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

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.

The post Dominican Republic Leads Premium Cigar Market with $1.3B in Exports first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

 “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.

The post PCA Talks “Beautiful Bill’s” Impact on U.S. Cigar Industry first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

“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.”  

The post TIMB: Zimbabwe Can Produce 17B Cigarettes first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

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.

The post Eastern Company Caps Cig Prices After Egypt Ups Taxes first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.

“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.”

The post BAT COO Says Korea Key to Smokeless Expansion first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.