Non-Menthol Newport Due in November

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 08/06/2010

Lorillard is to launch a non-menthol version of its flagship Newport brand in November. In announcing plans for the new product, Lorillard said Newport Non-Menthol would be a "premium product with broad competitive consumer appeal that delivers the high quality tobacco taste that adult smokers have grown to expect from Newport". "We are excited to leverage Newport, one of the most recognized names in the cigarette industry," said Martin Orlowsky, chairman, president and CEO. "With the introduction of Newport Non-Menthol, Lorillard will be afforded greater opportunity to compete in the largest segment of the US cigarette market, as the non-menthol category represents approximately 70 per cent of total industry volume." Newport, Lorillard's menthol-flavored premium cigarette, is the second-largest brand in the US and is the top selling menthol brand. Lorillard's domestic cigarette shipments during the six months to the end of June, at 18,305 million, included 15,705 million Newports. But menthol is under the microscope in the US. In September last year, following the passing of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act three months earlier, the US banned cigarettes with characterizing flavors, other than menthol, and the Food and Drug Administration is now considering the case against menthol. Enditem