Following the contract manufacturing of Alliance launched at the Belarusian cigarette maker Neman in Grodno last year, BAT has now placed there production of its medium price brand Viceroy.

New cigarettes are to go on sale by the end of the month. According to the local press, BAT is planning to make Pall Mall and Rothmans in the future in Grodno as well, all brands to be produced under BAT’s quality control. With cigarette import into Belarus being restricted by the government, placing production of their best selling brands with local facilities remains the most reasonable method for the multinationals to hold their ground on the highly regulated market. (vt)