The British tobacco company Gallaher Group has entered the Russian cigarillos market by launching sales of filterless flavoured miniature cigars Hamlet, reports the local daily Business.

According to Jason Konken, managing director for CIS, the company sees the segment as highly promising and one of the fastest growing. For a start, Hamlet is going to be supplied to Russia in five-piece packs. It will be sold at EUR 2.1 per pack in retail and will be distributed by a major Russian tobacco distributor Megapolis. Gallaher LD deputy sales director Vladimir Zhidkikh pointed out that Gallaher hoped to win up to 6 per cent of the mini-cigar market by the end of the year. The segment is estimated at US$ 10.8 million per year (30 million sticks). (vt)