Yerevan/Mediamax/. Growth of Japan Tobacco International (JTI) sales made 54% in Armenia in 2010.

Mediamax informs that Director of Corporate Issues and Communications of JTI Export Markets Alexander Avazashvili informed on this during the press tour of Armenian and Georgian journalists in the head office of JTI in Geneva (Switzerland).

The growth index of JTI brand cigarettes in Armenia (the most famous brands of JTI in the Armenian market are Winston, Camel, Monte Carlo and Sobranie) is the highest from among analogous last year’s indices of the South Caucasus countries (sales growth in Georgia made 44%, and in Azerbaijan – 51%).

In Armenia, JTI occupies 10.3% of the market of cigarette production. According to the data of AC Nielsen, annual consumption in Armenia makes 4.4bln cigarettes. In Georgia and Azerbaijan, the market share of JTI brands makes 23.2% AND 10.6% respectively.

Alexander Avazashvili stated that the year of 2010 was the most successful one for JTI in terms of sales in the South Caucasus countries, where it is the third largest tobacco company as to the volume of sales.

Speaking of the peculiarities of the local market, Alexander Avazashvili noted that in Armenia JTI observes the highest index of super thin cigarettes’ sales in the CIS: 55% of cigarettes, purchased in Armenia, are super thin cigarettes. The second place in CIS as to this index belongs to Azerbaijan, where 43% of cigarettes purchased are super thin.

Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) is the third largest tobacco company in the world, having its headquarters in Tokyo. According to Euromonitor data, the share of the corporation in the world market makes 10.5%. JT International (JTI) is the international subdivision of “Japan Tobacco Inc.”, formed as a result of purchase of the international tobacco business of American R.J. Reynolds International Concern by the Japanese company. The head office of JTI is in Geneva.

About 50% of Japan Tobacco Company’s shares belong to the Ministry of Finance of Japan. The corporation has 8 global flagman brands: Winston, Camel, Mild Seven, B&H, Silk Cut, LD, Glamour and Sobranie.

Supplies of JTI brands to Armenia and Georgia are fully realized from the factories in Ukraine and Russia. The first supplies of JTI productions to Armenia were made in August, 2000 (Magna Classic, Camel and Winston). “Arsoil” CJSC is the importer and the distributor of the company’s production in the Armenian market.