FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tokyo, December 9, 2011
Announcement on partnership for JTI and Ploom
Please find an announcement concerning partnership for Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Ploom. Under an agreement, JTI will commercialize Ploom’s products outside the United States. JTI has also taken a stake in Ploom as part of this agreement.
Contacts: Hideyuki Yamamoto, General Manager
Yoshinori Tsuchiya, Associate General Manager
Media and Investor Relations Division
Japan
Tobacco
Inc.
Tokyo:
+81-3-5572-4292
E-mail:
jt.media.relations@jt.com
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Japan Tobacco Inc. is a leading international tobacco product company. Its products are sold in over 120 countries and its internationally recognized cigarette brands include Winston, Camel, Mild Seven and Benson & Hedges. With diversified operations, JT is also actively present in pharmaceuticals and foods. The company’s adjusted net sales(*) were ¥1.946 trillion (US$23,415 million(**)) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011.
* Adjusted net sales on a consolidated basis do not include excise tax and revenue from the imported tobacco,
domestic duty free, the China Division and other peripheral businesses in the Japanese domestic tobacco business. Nor does it include excise tax and revenue from distribution, contract manufacturing and other peripheral businesses in the international tobacco business.
**Translated at the rate of ¥83.15 per $1, as of March 31, 2011
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
JTI Press Office
Ploom
+41 22 703 02 91
Owen Blicksilver Public Relations, Inc.
jti.press.office@jti.com
Kristin
Celauro
+1 732 264 1131
kristin@blicksilverpr.com
MEDIA INFORMATIONFor immediate release
Innovative partnership for Ploom and
Japan Tobacco International
JTI to take minority share in Ploom
Geneva, Switzerland, and San Francisco, California, December 8
TH
, 2011
Japan Tobacco
International (JTI) and Ploom announced today that they have entered into a strategic agreement. Under the exclusive long-term cooperation agreement, JTI will commercialize Ploom’s new generation smoking alternative products outside the United States. As part of the agreement, JTI has taken a minority stake in Ploom. Founded in 2007 and based in San Francisco, Ploom designs and develops pocket-sized smoking devices that heat tobacco contained in pods to a constant temperature, vaporizing nicotine and flavor without burning the materials or producing smoke. Ploom was originally developed by Adam Bowen and James Monsees while graduate students at Stanford University. “Anticipating consumers’ expectations is what JTI does best,” said Frits Vranken, Senior Vice President for Business Development at JTI. “We are convinced that products sold under this agreement will be received with enthusiasm by smokers seeking an alternative to cigarettes and conventional tobacco products.” “Ploom has a unique product, in-house engineering and excellent technical and design capabilities,” said James Monsees, Chief Executive Officer of Ploom. “We are very pleased to partner with JTI as their deep expertise, global distribution networks and capital resources will enable us to enter our next phase of growth and capitalize on global expansion opportunities.” JTI is the international tobacco business of its parent, Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT), a leading international tobacco company with products sold in 120 countries. Detailed commercial information will be available to JTI trade partners in relevant markets in due time. Ploom management will remain in place and continue to operate Ploom as a separate company. Further information can be found on the companies’ websites at
www.ploom.com
and
www.jti.com
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