ArticleAug 1, 2007
Salsa ups the pace
Salsa and cigars are an unbeatable combination that creates sweet
music when the blue smoke wreaths intertwine with harmonious tones.
This was observed by Swedish Match last year, when the Salsa cigar
was introduced to parts of the European market. Now the pace is being
accelerated. In May, Salsa was launched in Spain, with the specially
developed products Salsa Puritos and Salsa Cigarritos.
“Salsa Puritos and Salsa Cigarritos are
customized for the large Spanish market
and offer affordable enjoyment for Spanish
cigar consumers,” says Marcel Verhoeven,
International Brand Director Cigars, Swedish
Match International Division.
With annual consumption of approximately
one billion cigars and cigarillos, Spain is the
third largest cigar market in Europe, after
France and Germany. The popular valuesegment
is one of the most rapidly growing
in the country. Swedish Match currently has
5 percent of the Spanish market for cigars
and cigarillos, but is aiming to increase its
market share through launches within product
categories that were not previously represented
by the Company.
Both new members of the large Salsa family are machine-made and have natural
wrappers from Java, which produce a mild and
pleasant tobacco flavor. They are packaged
in modern and practical paper boxes of ten
products each.
“The introduction started in May, so it is
still too early to comment on the outcome, but
it looks very promising,” concludes Marcel
Verhoeven.