Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) has announced it will begin commercialisation of KT&G’s smoke-free alternatives outside of South Korea. The announcement follows an agreement signed in January 2020 by PMI and KT&G.

According to a press release, PMI will launch KT&G’s lil SOLID device and its accompanying Fiit consumables in Russia. lil SOLID uses a pin-based tobacco heating system designed to provide four consecutive experiences without recharging. The lil SOLID device will be introduced by IQOS and will complement PMI’s existing portfolio of smoke-free alternatives in Russia, which includes the IQOS Tobacco Heating System. Other markets are being considered for subsequent commercialization of KT&G products.
“Our ambition is that all those who would otherwise continue to smoke switch as soon as possible to better alternatives and abandon cigarettes to the benefit of their health, public health and society at large,” said André Calantzopoulos, PMI’s CEO. “We are excited to enter into the next phase of our agreement with KT&G. The commercialization of KT&G’s products outside of South Korea will complement our already strong smoke-free portfolio, providing adult smokers with an even broader range of taste, price and technology options.”
The agreement between PMI and KT&G runs for an initial period of three years; it allows PMI to distribute current KT&G smoke-free products and their evolutions on an exclusive basis, and does not restrict PMI from distributing its own or third-party products. KT&G’s smoke-free products include tobacco heating systems (e.g., lil MINI and lil PLUS), hybrid technologies that combine heated tobacco and e-vapor technologies (e.g., lil HYBRID), and e-vapor products (e.g., lil VAPOR).