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TOBACCO BUSINESS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
A Retrospective…
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
BY ed o’connor
H
appy New Year! May the months to come bring
happiness, good health and a modicum of pros-
perity to you and your loved ones!
In our last letter we gave you “Perspective from a Bold
Forecaster.” Recall the “Old Bold One” envisioning an un-
folding electronic cigarette industry. If you missed it, take a
look at the Publisher’s Letter in your November/December
issue, or refresh your memory at
.
It being the start of a new year, a time when we custom-
arily look back and glean the year’s high points, “Editorial
Auld Lang Syne” has sparked thoughts of
Tobacco Busi-
ness
’s “word craft,” shaping your perspective on the vital
issues and opinion makers governing the industry. Memo-
ry Lane draws our focus back to 2013.
Remember the presentation of the Top 50 Retailers? Fifty
top chains discussed growing pains, positive store chang-
es, challenges faced, tobacco harm reduction and even a
wish list. The California Distributors’ 50th Anniversary was
celebrated along with their tireless work to defeat Proposi-
tion 29, which would have added a $1.00 per pack cigarette
tax (January/February issue).
Then, the landmark story on electronic cigarettes hit:
“those advancements in the electronic cigarette arena
were being felt industry-wide…through analyst and pub-
lic health expert backings, at the manufacturing level, and
even a newly formed standards association.” Don’t forget
the
TB
-commissioned research focusing retailer attention
on decreasing cigarette volume and essential OTP items
critical to making up the loss in cigarette volume (March/
April issue).
May/June provided research on Joe Friday’s assessment
of the TPE (now TPC) January trade show in which results
were reported from both exhibitor and retailer points of
view. Highlights of the AWMA show rounded out trade
show coverage. Rich Castiano told of his inspiring “Trench
Marketing” saga describing the evolution of his World Fa-
mous Cigar Bar—a story of perseverance against bad odds
to create a great cigar store. Richie will tell more about
what it took to create his business, along with insightful
retailer promotional ideas at TPC 2014.
Tobacco Business
became the successor to
Tobacco Outlet Business
, the
goal being to broaden industry coverage of the changing
tobacco market.
Then came breaking news from TMA covering harm
reduction and the FDA, summarizing the best thinking on
industry burning issues. The demise of the rolling machine
business angered many operators and was greeted with
“good riddance” by industry factions. “Rolled Over, But
Not Gone” told the story. How about the Meerschaum pipe
story and IPCPR coverage? “Electric Alley” debuted:
TB
’s
commitment to updating the developments of the signa-
ture tobacco product of the generation (September/Octo-
ber issue).
Hopefully you saw the data roundup on sales trends in
“C-Store Corner:” the change in annual growth of cigar
packs, the number of e-cig SKUs carried, along with lead-
ing e-cig brands and top branded cigar packs sold in 2012.
What about that 17th Annual Smoker Friendly Tobacco
Festival & Conference? The hot products of 2013? Also,
“Profit” on page 103: a way to boost your sales in the flag-
ging cigarette market. And of course, the TPC 2014 details:
the agenda, the exhibitors, the floor plan, the hospitality,
the seminars, and the round tables. Stogies and Steaks, the
John Hunter Foundation’s charity event, heralded broad in-
dustry support of the foundation’s dream to build a school
and a future for elementary school children. Yes,
TB
was
there (November/December issue).
“Auld Lang Syne:” it’s all there. Thanks for a good year!
Best to you,
