New Kretek Filter Saves Costs, Stabilizes Tastes

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 09/15/2011

Kretek Aroma, a new clove-flavored filter launched by Filtrona Filter Products is said to offer the opportunity of reducing kretek production costs by allowing manufacturers to cut the amount of cloves they use. In announcing the launch, Filtrona said that the price of cloves had risen by 300 per cent in recent years, which meant that manufacturers had been under considerable pressure to control costs while continuing to offer traditional levels of flavor and the unique "sparking and crackling" associated with this product. Clove flavor is added to the Kretek Aroma filter via the direct spray application method, and this allows the manufacturer to reduce the amount of cloves used without altering the consumer's smoking experience. A 20 per cent reduction in clove use is estimated to offer about a 7.5 per cent cost saving, while a 50 per cent reduction is estimated to offer about a 19.0 per cent saving. Filtrona said in a press note that the Kretek Aroma filter, which was being targeted at the Indonesian market, provided manufacturers with the opportunity to control precisely the level of clove flavor in their products. This allowed them to develop new, balanced flavor signatures and maintain existing ones. "Kretek Aroma offers easy and effective flavor addition to cigarettes," said Ahmad Fashihul Lisan, manager of Filtrona's Regional Development Centre in Indonesia, which played an integral role in the development of the new filter. "We can work closely with customers to create samples that match the flavor signature of their current products, enabling them to continue offering consumers the taste they love, while at the same time reducing overall production costs." Enditem