merger agreement to create one of the world's largest independent
ecig companies – marketwatch
merger agreement to create one of the world's largest independent
ecig companies – marketwatch

SPRING LAKE, MICHIGAN, Feb 12, 2014 (Marketwired via COMTEX) Victory Electronic Cigarettes Corporation (otcqb ECIG), and FIN Branding Group announced today an agreement to merge their two companies and create one of the leading electronic cigarettes companies in the world. The companies have signed a definitive agreement and expect to close the transaction in the coming weeks. The new company leverages the iconic FIN brand and sales and marketing depth of the FIN organization, with the supply chain capabilities, international breadth, and financial strength of Victory. Within the past 30 days Victory completed the acquisition of VAPESTICK(R), one of Europe’s leading electronic cigarette brands and a partnership with Fields Texas Ltd. to drive global distribution and strategic retail expansion. The addition of FIN brings instant acceleration of scale and distribution in the US, significantly upgrades the global leadership team, and furthers the Company’s efforts to consolidate the electronic cigarette industry globally.

The Fin Branding Group

FIN is one of the leading electronic cigarette brands in the United States with distribution in all 50 states in more than 50,000 outlets. FIN is distributed across all major channels and is one of the top three brands in the convenience, drug, mass, and food channels. The FIN brand enjoys the number one market share position in Wal Mart, and is a leading brand in other major retailers including Walgreens, Rite Aid, Kroger, 7 11, Circle K, Sam’s, Murphy USA, Stripes, Mapco and over 200 other major chains.

Brent Willis, Chairman and CEO of Victory, and a former senior executive at InBev, Kraft, and the Coca Cola Company commented, “FIN is a powerhouse in the US with a great brand, great presence and great growth trends. Their strength in sales and marketing is unmatched, and their management team is impressive. Elliot Maisel, FIN’s Chairman and CEO, is hugely respected and has a tremendous track record of success both in the beer industry and in leading FIN to become one of the preeminent ecig companies in the US. He is going to be a great partner as we combine efforts together with Bill Fields, Michael Clapper and others to build the world’s largest independent electronic cigarette company.”

Building the Largest Independent ECIG Company

The newly formed entity creates an enterprise with 2014 sales on track to far surpass $100 million. With the integration of the FIN Branding Group, Victory has now completed three major transactions in recent months and expects to complete multiple others to grow its brand, distribution, and strategic retailer platforms worldwide. The group is focused on leveraging its low cost position, supply chain and distribution expertise, and experience in running global multinationals to build the leading independent electronic cigarette company in the world.

Bill Fields, Chairman of Fields Texas, Board Member at Victory, and former CEO of Wal Mart Stores commented, “We are delighted to have someone of Elliot’s character and caliber join the team and are confident that the FIN brand will be an iconic American brand that we can leverage into much broader distribution. Together with the Victory Brand at an opening price point and other exclusive brands, we believe we have a compelling offer for both retailers and distributors alike with superior margins and throughput versus any industry competitor.”

Significant Cost and revenue Synergies

The combination of Victory and FIN provides the group greater strength to compete in the rapidly evolving and competitive ecig category. To enhance its competitiveness, the new entity has established a convergence committee to identify and capture major cost and revenue synergies in the areas of people and culture, cost efficiency, and sales, distribution and marketing. Each of the convergence areas have dedicated work teams to identify and capture significant synergies. Thus far, the team has identified more than $5 million of revenue synergies resulting from expanding distribution of both brands and employing a dual brand strategy. In cost synergies, more than $10 million of savings have been identified in the areas of production, supply chain and marketing spend effectiveness, all of which are expected to be achieved within 12 months of closing.

Elliot Maisel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FIN, commented, “The combination of the FIN and Victory brands provides an incredible one two punch for distributors, retailers and consumers, and an opportunity to further increase shareholder value by capturing significant cost and revenue synergies. The combination of the FIN and Victory organizations, coupled with the leadership of Field’s Texas and VAPESTICK in Europe, creates a company with greater potential and growth opportunity than any other competitor in the industry. I am very excited to help lead the organization to become the largest independent electronic cigarette company in the world, and am excited for all our shareholders and the associates at FIN and Victory to share in the benefits of our growth.”

About FIN

FIN Branding Group LLC is one of the leading electronic cigarette companies in the United States with distribution of its iconic American brands in all 50 states in more than 50,000 outlets across all channels of distribution including food, drug, mass, gas and convenience. FIN is sold in some of the most respected retailers in the country with leading positions in Wal Mart, Sam’s, Walgreen’s, Rite Aid, Kroger, 7 11. Circle K, Stripes, Mapco and more than 200 other major accounts. The group was founded in 2011, and quickly rose to enjoy one of the leading share positions in the United States.

About Victory

Victory Electronic Cigarettes Corporation is dedicated to providing a cleaner and healthier alternative to smoking for all, and intends to empower smokers to regain their freedom. Victory is one of the leading companies in the fast growing electronic cigarette market. Victory offers consumers a full product portfolio that incorporates the highest quality and latest technology, and has been rated as superior in real tobacco taste amongst major brands. Victory’s experienced management team is positioned to leverage its differentiated portfolio, distinct go to market approach, and low cost infrastructure to accelerate growth and drive significant value for its shareholders.

About Fields Texas Limited LLC

Fields Texas Limited LLC is a private holding company owned and operated by William Fields (former CEO of Wal Mart Retail Stores Division, Chairman/CEO Blockbuster Entertainment Group and CEO/President of Hudson’s Bay Company). Fields Texas Limited LLC, through its management consultancy and private equity group, seeks to partner with companies within the consumer product, retail and retail service sectors to accelerate growth through implementation of organic and non organic revenue growth initiatives. The group has a proven and experienced team of executives with over 100 years of operating experience within the retail and consumer product industries.

Safe Harbor Disclosure

This press release contains forward looking statements reflecting management’s current expectations regarding future results of operations, economic performance, financial condition and achievements of Victory, including statements regarding Victory’s expectation to see continued growth. The forward looking statements are based on the assumption that operating performance and results will continue to materialize consistent with recent trends. Management believes these assumptions to be reasonable but there is no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Forward looking statements, specifically those concerning future performance are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include Vi
ctory’s reliance on additional financing, as Victory has not achieved profitability risks associated with Victory’s products, including that they may pose a health risk governmental regulations may impact Victory’s business the market or consumers may not accept Victory’s products Victory relies on a single class of products existing or pending patents may affect Victory’s business and other factors disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless required by applicable law, Victory undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements. 

 Contacts For investor inquiries please contact James Palczynski Partner, ICR, Inc. 203.682.8229 jp

SOURCE Victory Electronic Cigarettes

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History’s dumpster: forgotten cigarette brands

Electronic cigarettes safe thanks to ecr meps’ amendment : european conservatives and reformists group
(Update 2/18/14 See also my post on electronic cigarettes.)

Cigarettes today are not what they used to be.

Well, let me rephrase that. Cigarettes have always been gross and deadly. But these days, a cigarette smoker is pretty much considered as low as a crackhead in some circles. Though it’s nice the smoking awareness campaigns have brought the graphic evils of tobacco to dinner hour TV screens, I have to admit, they’re as pointless as the anti marijuana PSAs of the ’60s to the ’90s.

Besides, NOTHING can convince an innocent kid not to take up smoking more effectively than a kiss from a chain smoking aunt.

In the old days, you used to have a dizzying variety of cigarette choices available at your local grocery/convenience store (more than 50!). Today, there’s about 10 or even fewer brands in most places. Today, most brands are available exclusively over the internet. Retail stores get their stock from a state regulated middleman. Which is why in many states (namely Washington State), there is so little variety.

But for remaining smokers, fire up a menthol and enjoy this stroll down the tobacco aisle of yesteryear….

Tareyton My dad used to smoke these. No longer available in many areas, but they are available on the internet through RJ Reynolds.

Kent My mom used to smoke these.

Virginia Slims Another disappearing brand of women’s cigarette.

More An icky tasting super long and thin “120” cigarette. I snagged a pack of these from the rack at Fred Meyer when I was a kid. They looked weird, so I though they’d taste cool (with that funky brown paper.) They were flat out GROSS.

Satin “With a LUXURIOUS satin tip”, never mind the tobacco inside was garbage. Satin was an ’80s upstart brand. I knew of these by the free pack coupons they used to stuff in every Sunday newspaper.

Yves St. Laurant A fashion designer’s death by design. Another ’80s brand.

Merit Another former brand of choice. Of all the low tars, I actually LIKED Merits. They were tolerable. But Merit was one of those “old peoples” brands that seemed to disappear rapidly.

Doral A ’70s brand.

Multifilter Known for having two different filters, but the same result.

Vantage A filter cigarette with a giant hole in the middle of the filter.

Sterling An 80’s brand

Benson & Hedges Another disappearing brand and the first marketed for the “upscale” crowd.

Eve A long thin women’s cigarette

Viceroy Never smoked this brand, but it was big in the ’60s.

Lucky Strike Motto “It’s toasted” Just like your lungs after smoking a pack.

Chesterfield A non filtered smoke, popular from the ’20s the ’60s when even by then, it was an “old people’s cigarette” Before Kool and their jazz festivals in the ’70s and ’80s, it was popular with radio DJs (and immortalized as such in Donald Fagan’s song “The Nightfly”.) I never thought they were that spectacular

Raleigh This was the brand your old neighbour probably smoked.

Dave’s A ’90s brand still being made, Known for it’s folksy magazine ads that made you think it was made by some average person, just like you, who wanted a better smoke than what those big corporations offered. Fact It was made by Phillip Morris the whole time.

Scotch Buy Now here was an unusual brand made by RJ Reynolds for a corporate supermarket chain (Safeway and subsidiaries.) Safeway discontinued Scotch Buy and distanced itself as far as possible from the brand in the ’90s when cigarette manufacturers were being sued. Smart move. They tasted like crap anyway.

Bel/Air One of the better menthols. Now vanished.

Carlton The lowest tar and nicotine of any cigarette (without the nicotine, there’s no point in smoking cigarettes.) Memorable for it’s plain magazine ads that read. “If you smoke, please try Carlton” The gist was that it was a “safer” cigarette. But they tasted HORRIBLE and the filters were so tight, you can barely draw off of one.

True Another weird filtered low tar cigarette.

Misty Another ’80s women’s cigarette. Still being made, but instead of women, it’s gay men that buy them now.

Lark I remembered seeing these on the shelves, but I can’t remember anyone who ever smoked this brand.

Cheers! (Cough! ! !)

(Thanks to for some of the images here….)