[Intl-tobacco] Philip Morris sees India as next Marlboro country

[Robert Weissman]

Philip Morris sees India as next Marlboro country
The Economic Times
 November 6, 2003

 Byas Anand

 New Delhi: Philip Morris on Thursday launched its famed Marlboro brand
in India, albeit sans its joint venture partner -- the Modi family, and
unveiled plans to stub out competition from counterfeit and contraband
Marlboro products.

 Launching the Marlboro, to be available at Rs 75 for a pack of 20
sticks, Philip Morris Services India spokesman Ajit Sahgal said the firm
has decided to keep the brand away from its joint venture company.
"Marlboro is one brand that we intend to control and so we have kept the
JV company away from this launch," he said.

 Sahgal further stated that the launch will be followed by a concerted
effort to flush out the counterfeit and smuggled Marlboro cigarettes
from the market. In India, counterfeit and smuggled imported cigarettes
account for almost three billion units a year, while the total cigarette
market stands at 86 billion units. (Should cigarette smoking be banned
in India completely?)

 The firm has appointed Barakat Foods and Tobacco as its distributor in
India. The company will directly import the product, which will then be
imported by Barakat under a non-exclusive distribution agreement. "Both
of us are free to scout for other partners," he said. The firm is
launching Marlboro in two variants here -- regular and lights.