Imperial Tobacco Buys Five Cigarette Brands in £4.6 Billion Deal

Source from:  The European Supermarket Magazine‎ 06/15/2015

Imperial Tobacco is to increase its stake in the US tobacco market to ten per cent by purchasing the brands Salem, Kool, Maverick, Blu, and Winston, in a deal worth £4.6 billion, according to thisismoney.co.uk and dailymail.co.uk.

The cigarette brands were placed on sale as a byproduct of the merger between Reynolds American and Lorillard - respectively the second- and third-biggest tobacco companies in America. Imperial Tobacco's US arm will now generate 20 per cent of its revenue.

Winston is regarded as a premium cigarette brand, and Maverick a budget-cigarette producer; Salem and Kool are menthol cigarettes brands, and Blu an e-cigarette one.

Alison Cooper, Imperial Tobacco, CEO, said, "I'm delighted to announce the completion of this deal, which will transform our position in the US and generate significant returns." Enditem