Philippines: Mighty Introduces 2 Premium Brands

Source from:  Manila Bulletin 08/05/2014

Mighty Corp., the oldest Filipino-owned tobacco company, has launched its premium brands King and Chelsea in a move to firm up its position in the cigarette market as the country's second biggest manufacturer.

Our decision to enter the premium brand segment is part of the company's thrust to reposition our brands and expand our reach into all segments of the market," Oscar P. Barrientos, executive vice president, said.

"We hope to extend the reach of Mighty Corp. and strengthen our position as the top Filipino-owned tobacco company in the Philippines," Barrientos added.

He said "both brands are premium in terms of smoke character. But from the packaging and cigarette design, King is more traditional while Chelsea radiates unconventionality."

The two brands are blended with the finest tobacco grades to give off a balanced taste and aroma. Both come in Full Flavor king size, Lights king size and Menthol 100s to a total of six different variants.

"One of our advantages are the smell, flavor and aromatic taste of our cigarettes that are also exceptionally smooth, mellow and attractively packaged. These have captured the imagination of consumers and established the bond of loyalty between them and our products," the retired RTC judge said.

The company's premium brands will be categorized in the highest tax bracket for cigarettes.

The company was established in 1945 by Wong Chu King with a small factory in Manila producing native cigarettes known as "Matamis."

The company was renamed Mighty Corp. in 1985 and bought the trademarks of Alhambra Industries in 1993. It now operates a nine-hectare fully integrated manufacturing and processing plant in Malolos, Bulacan.

Mighty Corp. was able to build up its market share through an aggressive marketing push and heavy investments in research, development and production.

"We invested in R & D, and we were able to come up with quality products. We also planned our expansion and improved our production efficiency based on the economy of scales to be able to price our products competitively. From there we were able to build up market share," Barrientos explained.

"Not only that," he said, "in Mighty's almost 70-year history, the company has been versatile in terms of marketing, manufacturing and most importantly, in management itself."

"To better satisfy our customers, we kept up by constantly innovating and improving our products while maintaining our core values intact and remain committed to the company's vision." Barrientos added.

"Our decision to expand our product lines is just part of our vision to become a major player in the market and show what a Filipino company can do," he concluded. Enditem