According to N.EWS reported on December 30. Korea Cigarette (hereinafter referred to as “KT&G”) plans to introduce a new product of heated tobacco heating (HTP) in 2025.
KT&G plans to push new heated tobacco products in 2025
According to tobacco industry sources. KT&G is currently preparing for the launch of new HTP products in 2025. A spokesperson for KT&G said, “Smoke bomb products are released from time to time, but devices are typically updated every one to two years.” KT&G had announced plans to introduce new products at its third-quarter earnings conference in November.
Even so, KT&G did not specify whether the new product is an entirely new device or an upgrade of one of the three currently available devices. KT&G currently sells three devices in the Korean market: Lil Hybrid 3.0, Lil Able 2.0, and Lil Solid 3.0. The most recent new product release was in September 2024, when “Lil Solid 3.0 is the” 3.0 “Lil Solid upgrade 2.0 released in 2020.”
For the release of new products next year. KT&G is also adjusting the inventory of existing products. In a November conference call. KT&G explained that the stagnant growth in cigarette merchandise sales in the third quarter was due to “the impact of inventory adjustments for the launch of new products next year.”
- KT&G emphasized that “Once new products are launched, we expect sales to return to normal and may generate additional growth.”
An industry source said that KT&G plans to rank first in the heated tobacco market through the new product. According to data from a convenience store. KT&G held a 48 percent market share in heated tobacco sales last year, up slightly from 46 percent the previous year, ranking first, with Philip Morris International (PMI) following tobacco with 41 percent and British American Tobacco (BAT) with 11 percent. Although KT&G maintains the first place, it is not much different from PMI, and at the same time. Japan Tobacco International Korea (JTI Korea) has also joined the heated tobacco market, making the market more competitive.
