Tobacco Business

T The mere mention of the word “hookah” often conjures up memories of friends gathered together in lounges after work or on college campuses exhaling thick clouds of hookah smoke into the air. Hookah has long been associated with leisure and enjoyment, and though times have changed, hookah remains a popular product category, as does the company that helped put it on the map in the U.S.: Fantasia Distribution. Fantasia Distribution’s founder, Randy Jacob (RJ), has been with the company since the very beginning and has seen the evolution of the hookah industry take shape firsthand. Since starting his company in 2006, there are now significantly more hookah brands on the market competing for business today. There’s also far more consumer awareness of hookah, and the consumption of hookah products has grown. At the start, hookah was enjoyed in cafes and lounges. Today, in addition to those outlets, hookah is far more accessible and is smoked in people’s homes by a far more diverse demographic than it was in years past. Even though the hookah industry and category has undergone its share of changes, one thing has remained unchanged: Fantasia is a company that is leading from the forefront of the hookah category. What is Hookah? Despite being available for quite some time, many people are unfamiliar with what exactly hookah is and what makes it different from other tobacco products. Although it is smoked, hookah’s method of consumption is a bit more complex than that of smoking combustible cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Hookah is consumed through a water pipe, and hookah’s smoke is filtered through the pipe itself. The vase of the pipe is filled with water, and a stem is inserted in the water base. On top of that vase, a bowl is placed and then filled with tobacco. This tobacco is typically moist and gooey, not dry, and it is mixed with honey and flavoring. Once filled, the hookah bowl is covered with a piece of foil that has holes poked through it. To heat the bowl, charcoal containing coconut or natural wood is used. Once it’s heated, the smoker draws from the hookah pipe, and the charcoal will heat up the tobacco, turning it into smoke that is filtered through the water pipe and through a hose that delivers the smoke and flavors to the smoker. Because of this complex process, hookah offers a different experience for smokers. Hookah is consumed and enjoyed while sitting rather than while on the go, as is typical with a cigarette, cigar or vapor stick. It’s also commonly consumed while in a social SATISFACTION GUARANTEED TOBACCO Fantasia Distribution continues to dominate the U.S. hookah category by setting trends and giving retailers a big incentive to carry its products with little risk. By Antoine D. Reid [ 48 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ JANUARY / FEBRUARY | 22 ]