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08-01-2018, 12:23 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-01-2018, 12:35 PM by Tonto.)
WTF were they thinking??
Quote:Parent Company of Nat Sherman Tells FDA To Not Exempt Premium Cigars
On June 25th, Altria Group the parent company of Nat Sherman submitted a letter to FDA on behalf of Nat Sherman and the other brands they own asking the FDA to not provide an exemption for premium cigars.
The company which posted a revenue of over 25 billion in 2017 has made it clear they are against the small Mom & Pop companies that make up the premium cigars industry.
If you listen to The Cigar Authority our own David Garofalo who has traveled to Washington DC to fight on behalf of the cigar industry has stated that when they leave the Halls of the Capitol, big tobacco swoops in to undo the work of family owned cigar companies.
A move on social media has called for a boycott of Nat Sherman cigars as they do not exemplify the brotherhood of the leaf, nor do they speak for cigar smokers in America.
The 9 page letter can be read at: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FDA-2017-N-6107-8111
I was liking some of the few Nat Shermans I had picked up & planned on adding much more to my humidors, but now...
Will I ever buy another Nat Sherman or any Altria product now?...I just don't know.
If Sonny had EZ-Pass, he'd have survived that hit...
Never apologize mister, it's a sign of weakness. - Capt. Nathan Cutting Brittles
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Also...
https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/america-s-largest-cigarette-company-comes-out-against-fda-exemption-for-handmade-cigars
Quote:America’s Largest Cigarette Company Comes Out Against FDA Exemption For Handmade Cigars- July 31, 2018 |
- By David Savona
The biggest cigarette company in America has asked the FDA not to spare handmade cigars from regulation. In a letter sent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Altria—the $25 billion company behind Marlboro cigarettes, the parent of Nat Sherman, and the largest tobacco concern in the United States—asked the FDA to not exempt the small, handmade premium cigar industry from its tobacco regulations.
“We agree with FDA that there is ‘no appropriate public health justification to exclude premium cigars from regulation,’” read the letter, sent by Jose Luis Murillo, vice president of regulatory affairs for Altria.
At the top of the letter, dated June 25, Murillo wrote that the note was being sent not only by Altria, but also “on behalf of John Middleton Co. and Sherman Group Holdings LLC and its subsidiaries Nat Sherman.” Middleton is Altria’s machine-made cigar subsidiary, the maker of Black & Mild cigars. Nat Sherman is a company that has several premium cigar brands, including Timeless.
Among the detailed notes in the nine-page letter, Altria also voiced its support for having warning labels on premium cigars. “We agree that ‘premium’ cigars should bear appropriate warnings that take into account unique attributes of their packaging and size.”
Cigar Aficionado reached out to Altria for further comment. “While Altria supports FDA regulation of all tobacco products, we’ve said regulation does not need to be a one-size-fits-all approach. We have urged FDA to take into account the unique aspects and history of different tobacco product categories, including premium cigars, when it decides how to regulate them,” wrote Altria spokesman George Parman.
“Given Altria’s dominant position in the cigarette market and the machine-made cigar industry, it is no small wonder it is against aiding handmade cigarmakers,” said Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Cigar Aficionado magazine. “Frankly, it’s shameful that this $25 billion company would want to try and harm many of the smaller cigarmakers in order to protect its huge market presence in cigarettes and machine-made cigars. The handmade cigar industry is made up largely of small, family-owned companies. Handmade cigars are completely different from machine-made cigars and cigarettes. They deserve exemption from FDA regulation.”
Altria posted net revenues of $25.6 billion in 2017, with net earnings of $10.2 billion, and its largest subsidiary is Philip Morris USA. According to the company’s website, Philip Morris owns 50.7 percent of the U.S. cigarette market, and Marlboro alone has a 43.3 percent market share.
Altria also owns U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., the maker of Skoal and Copenhagen, and Washington state’s Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.
Altria entered the cigar business in 2007, when it acquired John Middleton Co. for $2.9 billion. Middleton is a leading maker of mass-market cigars, in particular the Black & Mild brand. Black & Milds are made by machine, come with plastic, paper or wooden filter tips and are sold in such flavors as wine, apple, cherry and cream. Most come in packs of five. Online, they sell for roughly 46 cents to 85 cents per cigar, depending on style.
In January 2017, Altria bought into the handmade cigar business by acquiring Sherman Group Holdings for undisclosed terms. In addition to the Nat Sherman cigar brands, the acquisition included the Nat Sherman cigarette business as well as the Nat Sherman Townhouse in New York City, a luxurious cigar store. Nat Sherman does not make its own cigars, and owns no cigar factories.
If Sonny had EZ-Pass, he'd have survived that hit...
Never apologize mister, it's a sign of weakness. - Capt. Nathan Cutting Brittles
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unbelievable.
No Justice, No Peace!
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That's not unexpected & probably doesn't make any difference at the end of the day.
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Maybe this old News chaser can shed some light on how the people at Nat Sherman People are thinking, if the small companies go away, it will be good for the market share Nat Sherman has, they will get more market share with less competition.
Many of the small companies make some great cigars IMHO. But because they are smaller, then have to be better to attract customers. Many of their small boutique, and larger then a boutique Cigar manufactures are producing some fabulous Cigars.
Competition is always a good thing, not a bad thing for the consumer. Typically I get about 40 - 50 emails per week from on-line Cigar retailers. I may not but anything today, but I always look at who's offer what, and if it is a good deal on what I like or love.
Right now there are some great deal to be had, I know as I am considering ordering a new XIKAR Allume Duel Flame Lighter & matching Xi1 Cutter. The graphics, or blue color on the slow movers don't bother me one bit. It is the lighter & cutter combo that is $44.00 that has me thinking of making the purchase.
Shame on Nat Sherman.
JMHO.
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