There were many new releases for retailers to get early access to. Drew Estate chose TPE22 to debut the new ACID 20 Connecticut Toro [read more here]. This cigar is presented as a 6 x 54 Toro and features an Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper, an Indonesian binder and filler tobacco grown in Nicaragua. Ferio Tego, a brand that made its debut last year, chose TPE22 to showcase the Metropolitan Host collection, cigars made in Honduras at the Camacho factory [read more here]. Aganorsa Leaf’s newest Guardian of the Farm cigar, named Cerberus, made its debut at TPE22 where retailers were able to place orders for an anticipated February ship date [read more here]. Altadis U.S.A. had several new products on display in its booth including the luxurious Romeo y Julieta Bed of Roses humidor [read more here], VegaFina Year of the Tiger, and H. Upmann Nicaragua AJ Fernandez Heritage. Retailers also had the opportunity to use Altadis U.S.A.’s new Vibe360, an interactive resource and tool developed for retailers to not only get information on Altadis U.S.A.’s vast portfolio of products but to also help facilitate the ordering of needed products. These were just a few of the many new releases that made their debut at TPE22 with others having been covered in depth on tobaccobusiness.com.
Networking and Education
Those attending a trade show often come in with two expectations–they expect new releases and want to network with other professionals. Knowing this, TMG set out to make sure there was plenty of opportunities for attendees and exhibitors to come together. The Industry Night party, held at the Sahara Las Vegas’ Azilo Ultra Pool, showed the industry what a good time really looks like. Headlined by Drew Estate and Phillips & King, this party took the party to the pool with three hours of an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and high-energy music.
TPE didn’t forget about its annual education initiative, TPE Ignite. For a second year, TPE Ignite took place virtually ahead of the show and touched on a number of timely topics including legislation, regulations and best business practices for retailers and manufacturers. Thomas Briant, executive director of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO), presented an update on the current tobacco regulations and legislation impacting U.S. retailers. This session was followed by “Best Practices in Tobacco Retail,” a virtual panel consisting of several brick-and-mortar tobacconists including Kathleen Kelly of Queensbury Cigar & Pipe, Brandon Frakes of Industrial Cigar Co., and Cory Talanca of Boss Cigars. The Cigar Association of America (CAA) provided an update on the legislative fight being waged to preserve the premium cigar industry. “Sisters of the Leaf,” a popular panel from TPE20, returned this year virtually with an engaging and frank conversation about the important role women play in the cigar industry today. On the alternative side, Brightfield Group shared the latest information on trends being seen in the CBD market and the growing cannabis industry. The Vapor Technology Association’s Tony Abboud tackled the provocative question of “Is the FDA trying to shut down tobacco alternatives” in his panel, discussing the FDA’s handling of Premarket Tobacco Applications (PMTAs) and the vapor industry’s fight for survival. All of these panels can be viewed online at tobaccobusiness.com/category/tpe-show.
Success and Opportunity
So, what is TPE? TPE is a trade show that reflects the many opportunities available those that work in the tobacco, vapor and alternative industries. TPE is where professionals come to network, to find new releases, where they come to make deals for the coming year and beyond. At TPE, it doesn’t matter if your company has thousands of employees or if you’re a boutique company with just two partners–at TPE, everyone is relevant and has the opportunity to set their business up for success.
Next year’s TPE returns to Las Vegas Feb. 22-24, 2023. For all the latest news and information from TPE, visit tobaccoplusexpo.com.
Editor’s Note: Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE) is owned and operated by Kretek International subsidiary Tobacco Media Group (TMG), publisher of Tobacco Business magazine.
 makes its return to Las Vegas with plenty of networking, new releases and unexpected surprises.){kind=link}