Early October has seen a surge in launch of new premium cigarette brands on the Russian market.

Imperial Tobacco has announced launch of Davidoff Neon, a cheaper version of the renowned brand that is going to be retailed at Euro 1 per pack and will be available in three varieties, Red, Silver and White. Davidoff Neon is expected to consolidate the mother brand’s position on the market and enlarge Imperial’s presence in the premium segment. Simultaneously, JTI is launching nation-wide sales of Lucia, a premium brand that has been on try-out in Moscow since late 2004. The brand remarkable for the innovative less smoke smell technology and addressed primarily to female smokers will be soon available in two versions, Lucia Citrus Fresh Menthol and Lights, in all Russian cities with a population of 1,000,000 and more. A premium brand is also launched by Nevo Tabak StPetersburg that has set up a JV with the American Cigarette Tobacco Company (formerly known as Tobacco Products Consulting). The new product is called Arctic. It is to be retailed at Euro 0.8 to 0.9 per pack and will be available in three varieties, Original, Ultra and One. Arctic is going to become the first premium brand in Nevo Tabak’s product line. The segment of cigarettes retailed at Euro 0.8 and more is among the fastest growing in Russia and, according to market research groups, now accounts for 30 per cent of the market by value. (vt)