1 of 11
Buho is the first proprietary rolling paper brand launched by Spanish distributor, Algarix. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
2 of 11
HeeChi deploys a completely new heating technology, the tobacco is only “baked” rather than potentially charred. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
3 of 11
Greenbutts’ fully biodegradable filter tow is made from natural plant fiber strands. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
4 of 11
ShishAir’s spongy catalyzer (right) can be used for months before needing replacement. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
5 of 11
Mexico’s newest premium cigar brand, Casa 1910, introduced at InterTabac 2022. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
6 of 11
Dekang Biotechnology’s Daniel Liu and Nicolae Nemes with their latest innovation, QUUQ. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
7 of 11
ESC1 “nicopods” uses synthetic instead of tobacco-derived nicotine. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
8 of 11
Ukraine-Hong Kong outfit Hokord launched its prototype CCM-900 hemp cone rolling machine at InterSupply. Photo credit: Hokord.
9 of 11
Chateau Diadem co-owners Thierry Farah and Emily Sahakian posing with their precious children. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
10 of 11
El Petaquero’s classy humidors and cigar cases are made from the finest Spanish leathers. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
11 of 11
Germany’s Fluxcode is the latest T&T system in the market, guaranteeing seamless and reliable product distribution management. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
This year’s twin event once again served as a launchpad for numerous new products. Tobacco Asia presents a random selection of some of the most interesting ones.
Prestigious exhibitions such as InterTabac and InterSupply have always been the perfect platform for a manufacturer or supplier to break into the tobacco business, to make themselves known to future customers. The most recent twin events in Dortmund, Germany welcomed at least 160 first-time exhibitors, a good proportion of them new companies. And with more than 12,000 visitors from all corners of the world scouting out what the tobacco sector has to offer, the two shows also were a fantastic opportunity for established companies and newcomers alike to launch their latest products. Tobacco Asia scoured the exhibition halls for what we believe were some of the most out-standing ones, briefly highlighting them in this pictorial.
HeeChi – China (Hong Kong)
Heated tobacco devices certainly have become an end consumer mainstay, but the technology has never been perfect. Most devices still deploy a heating rod that physically penetrates the inserted heatstick. Even at relatively low temperature, that method inevitably causes the contained tobacco to eventually char when the device is used too long. Hong Kong-based HeeChi Technology goes a very different way with its patented device. Here, the inserted stick never comes in contact with a rod or the heating chamber itself. Suspended within the chamber, it is subjected to hot air, being “baked” rather than charred, which results in a smoother, less bitter tobacco taste.
More info: heechitech.com
Greenbutts – US
Acetate tow filter plugs are among the most littered plastic items on the planet, amounting for an estimated one million tons of waste per year while (depending on the environmental conditions) taking up to 15 years to decompose. US company Greenbutts offers a solution to that acetate tow problem: its 100% biodegradable filter material made from natural plant fibers. Greenbutts filters immersed in plain water begin disintegrating into strands within only a few hours and completely decompose not in years but mere weeks. Used filters also can be safely thrown on the backyard compost heap or put in the household trash.
More info: greenbutts.com
ShishAir – Germany
Burning shisha charcoal creates substantial carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, a serious health hazard especially in unventilated rooms. There have been cases where shisha bars had to be evacuated because its patrons were in danger of succumbing to CO poisoning. Thanks to its integrated catalyzer “sponge”, the ShishAir device effectively eliminates up to 90% of CO emissions by simply placing the device over the lit shisha bowl. A further benefit is that coal doesn’t need to be replenished as often as would normally be the case, saving up to 60% in charcoal cubes.
More info: shishair.de
Casa 1910 – Mexico
The fertile Veracruz valley is Mexico’s premier tobacco growing region. Since quite recently, it also is the home of the country’s latest premium hand-rolled cigar company, Casa 1910 (so named after the Mexican revolution that kicked off that year). Owned and run by partners Manolo Santiago, Jamie Baer and colleagues uncompromisingly adhere to the best traditions of cigar crafting. The company’s luxurious, extraordinarily smooth cigars brought scores of visitors to Casa 1910’s InterTabac booth. Mexico may not yet be up there in the same league as cigars from Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras, or the Dominican Republic… but Casa 1910 could well be on the way of changing that notion.
More info: casa1910.com
Dekang – China
Dekang Biotechnology has always been at the forefront of innovation, particularly in the shisha arena. The outfit brought us the original shisha stones as well as shisha fruits, just to name a couple of eyebrow-raising products. But, at this year’s InterTabac, the company also showed its great expertise in the heated tobacco segment by launching what can be regarded as the world’s first completely smokeless HNB device, QUUQ, plus its compatible DKiss pods. Consumers are increasingly faced with HNB smoking restrictions even where their use had been previously permitted and now have an elegant, inconspicuous way of enjoying their passion anywhere without causing undue attention.
More info: dekangeuropa.com
Buho – Algarix – Spain
Spanish firm Algarix is a major distributor of a wide range of rolling paper brands for many years, including Rizla, Pay-Pay, OCB, Smoking, Raw, and numerous others. But recently the company launched its very first, own brand, Buho, to the international market at InterTabac and garnered quite some interest among expo visitors. Buho papers come in a broad variety of formats, bleached, unbleached, colored, made from organic hemp and other materials.
More info: algarix.com
ESC 1 – Sweden
Karl Galiano is of Chilean birth, but has German roots and years ago immigrated to Sweden. Recognizing the skyrocketing popularity of snus and other smokeless tobacco products among consumers, he very recently decided to jump on the bandwagon by creating his own brand, ESC1. The brand was well received by InterTabac visitors due to its quirky packaging design. Furthermore, ESC1 exclusively uses synthetic nicotine instead of a tobacco-derived one. ESC1 made its international debut at InterTabac, with Karl Galiano very pleased about the promotional value the show afforded ESC1.
More info: esc1.se
Hokord – Ukraine/China (Hong Kong)
A joint venture between Ukraine and Hong Kong, Hokord showcased at InterSupply its prototype hemp cone rolling machine, the CCM-900, to great customer interest. While the prototype primarily served as an on-site sample, the machine’s second-generation version, the CCM-2000, is even better and will be rolled out in March 2023. It will be capable of producing up to 2,000 cones per minute, whereas length, diameter, and other parameters can be chosen freely thanks to an intuitive interface.
More info: hokord.com
Chateau Diadem – Dominican Republic
Incorporated in Mauritius and operating a factory in the Dominican Republic’s Cibao valley, Chateau Diadem turned out to be the youngest premium cigar company present at InterTabac this year. Literally. According to co-owners Thierry Farah and Emily Sahakian, the firm had been established only three days prior to the show. Chateau Diadem’s inaugural offering was the premium long-filler “Conviction”, utilizing Nicaraguan Criollo Esteli Dominican Criollo 98, and Dominican Piloto Cubano. Its binder is Dominican Olor, its wrapper Ecuadorian Habano 2000. More info: chateaudiadem.com
El Petaquero – Spain
Spain is world-renowned for its excellent leather and the myriad of goods manufactured from it. That also goes for luxurious smoking accessories such as hand-crafted humidors and cigar carrying cases. Based in the small town of Prado del Rey in southern Spain, family-run El Petaquero has been in the leather crafts business for decades. At InterTabac, current owner Antonio Cabrera Borrego proudly introduced the Tobacco Asia team to the enormous range of exquisite cigar accessories of outstanding quality that his craftsmen produce.
More info: puroart.es/en/
FluxCode – Germany
Deploying a comprehensive track-and-trace (T&T) system nowadays is not merely an option; nay, it’s a legal requirement almost everywhere. InterTabac saw the launch of the brand new Fluxcode system, developed by a German company of the same name. Fluxcode can be easily integrated into existing production lines and aggregation systems. UID requests are requested and confirmed within minutes and provided to printers, while a complex algorithm prevents multiple UID transmission. With the FluxGenerate add-on module it is even possible for a manufacturer to create its own UIDs. Of course the system also checks for consistency and validation and provides extensive production and logistics data. In short: it has all the bells and whistles.
More info: fluxcode.de.