MacBaren Acquires Imperial.

[JimInks]

Just saw this official announcement. Looks like there is a very good possibility that St. Bruno, Amphora, among other blends will be available in the US again. I hope they don't do to them what they did to Three Nuns, and change the source tobaccos used. Maybe we'd even be lucky enough to get the old VaPer Three Nuns again??

Mac Baren Tobacco Company, one of the most well-known Danish companies and pipe tobacco brands in the U.S., got a little bit bigger this week. They agreed to take over the pipe tobacco portfolio and certain related fine cut brands from global English giant Imperial Tobacco Group. The deal follows Mac Baren’s 2013 purchase of Sutliff Tobacco Company in Richmond, VA from Altadis.

"We focus on the niche categories in which we are able to sustain and grow our businesses despite a declining total market, whereas for Imperial, pipe is a non-core strategic category, as it focuses primarily on its bigger global cigarette and fine cut brands. As a consequence Imperial considered a spin-off, and as we have been producing some of these brands for them for years, this transaction makes a lot of sense for both parties", according to Per Buch, CEO at Mac Baren Tobacco Company.


More New Jobs & Investments in Production

The brand transaction will boost production at Mac Baren’s Svendborg facility by some 25-30%, and management expects to add head count in both production and sales.

According to Mac Baren management, the added volume will also contribute to the ever ongoing automation and rationalization of the production process making the company even more competitive. As a result of the transaction Mac Baren will add further CAPEX to an existing program preparing the company for the implementation of EU’s tobacco directive.

The parties have agreed to keep the transfer price undisclosed.

The following brands are included in the transaction [Editor's note: Fine cut is shag a.k.a. RYO for cigarettes.]

Brand Product Group
Amphora Pipe
Amsterdamer Pipe and Fine Cut
Buccaneer Fine Cut
Caporal Pipe and Fine Cut
Capstan Pipe
Coopvaert Pipe
Django Fine Cut
Gold Block Pipe
Heerenbaai Paars Pipe
J&H Wilson Nasal Snuff
J&H Wilson Nasal Snuff
Kentuck Chewing tobacco
Le Superieur Pipe
Lichte Pruim Chewing tobacco
Prestige Pipe
St. Claude Pipe
St. Bruno Pipe
Three Nuns Pipe
Walnut Pipe
Whiskey Pipe Pipe
 

 

[Richard Burley]

 As a result of the transaction Mac Baren will add further CAPEX to an existing program preparing the company for the implementation of EU’s tobacco directive.
 

Which is what? Decapitation, now that there's only one head to cut off instead of two?

 

[puros_bran]

CAPEX means The big items CAPital EXpedenture.

In my world: On the trucking side it was buying new trucks, buildings, etc.   on the horse side it was new horses (store bought vs home grown), farms, barns, etc.

Edited in: you only say CAPEX or Captial Expedenture to impress clients. To everyone else you just say "I burned a bucket of money" or some such.

 

[ftrplt]

Just maybe the price on Capstan will come down And Walnut will be available again :cheers: FTRPLT

 

[JimInks]

Just maybe the price on Capstan will come down And Walnut will be available again :cheers: FTRPLT

 We might get Walnut again, but I doubt MacBaren will lower their prices.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Just maybe the price on Capstan will come down And Walnut will be available again :cheers: FTRPLT

 We might get Walnut again, but I doubt MacBaren will lower their prices.

Nope, they just jacked them up in price, unlikely they will go down.......

 

[puros_bran]

Who 'They' are is a hard thing for a consumer to determine.
They could me the producer, the importer, or the retailer.
A change like this could bring several options to the pricing structure.
The producer could raise prices or set caps on allowable retail, they could change importers or work out different prices.. Etc.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Doesn't bother me either way, as long as they leave Lane Limited alone so I can buy Captain Black. 8)

 

[giacomo]

The last time I was in the UK I noticed they had Capstan and Three Nuns in the pouch (50g). Perhaps that's why those blends made this list; in their pouch forms. I was unimpressed with both. I stuck to St. Bruno, Condor, and Revor while puffing abroad.

There's been many a comparison between ODF and St. Bruno, as if ODF simply needed some Lakeland essence as a final touch. I have yet to sample ODF, but if a new tin with the label St. Bruno Flake shows up, I'll be standing with folding money in hand.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I like St. Bruno, I hope it makes a state-side appearance in the near future. However, I am not too keen on the Mac Baren price adjustment. I'd rather be gently slapped with price increases over a period of time than smacked real hard all at once. I realize that for the longest time Mac Baren blends were the best damn deal in premium pipe tobacco, but a five dollar increase per tin is a 5 dollar increase. I'll still buy an occasional tin of ODF and Dark Twist Roll Cake, but my plans to stock up have been permanently thwarted. $16 and change for 50g's of Capstan Blue Flake? Now that's hilarious.

 

[Thomas Tkach]

I like St. Bruno, I hope it makes a state-side appearance in the near future. However, I am not too keen on the Mac Baren price adjustment. I'd rather be gently slapped with price increases over a period of time than smacked real hard all at once. I realize that for the longest time Mac Baren blends were the best damn deal in premium pipe tobacco, but a five dollar increase per tin is a 5 dollar increase. I'll still buy an occasional tin of ODF and Dark Twist Roll Cake, but my plans to stock up have been permanently thwarted. $16 and change for 50g's of Capstan Blue Flake? Now that's hilarious.

I thought Capstan had been that expensive for a while. I like the current iteration of 3N (never had the original), but it's too expensive, so I'll stick to ODF, which I fortunately cellars a few pounds of before this hike.

 

[JimInks]

I like St. Bruno, I hope it makes a state-side appearance in the near future. However, I am not too keen on the Mac Baren price adjustment. I'd rather be gently slapped with price increases over a period of time than smacked real hard all at once. I realize that for the longest time Mac Baren blends were the best damn deal in premium pipe tobacco, but a five dollar increase per tin is a 5 dollar increase. I'll still buy an occasional tin of ODF and Dark Twist Roll Cake, but my plans to stock up have been permanently thwarted. $16 and change for 50g's of Capstan Blue Flake? Now that's hilarious.

The bulk prices are still fairly reasonable, but not the tins. And as far as Capstan Blue is concerned, I have a few tins in the cellar, but will not buy any at that price. FVF, Best Brown, Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake, and Astley's #44 are much more fairly priced. Glad I managed to cellar most of the MacBaren products that I wanted, if not quite as much as I wanted on a couple. I was lucky to get ODF when it was $35 a pound, so I've enough of that for years to come.

 

[ftrplt]

Just maybe the price on Capstan will come down And Walnut will be available again :cheers: FTRPLT

 We might get Walnut again, but I doubt MacBaren will lower their prices.

Oh, that price thing was just a little funny ha-ha on my part I will be happy to see Walnut again, if it happens :cheers: FTRPLT

 

[Anonymous]

It's good news, but that doesn't ensure, because they will be making Amphora, Walnut & st-Bruno, that they will be available in the US. I sure hope so, though.

 

[deathmetal]

And now I'm reading about the "EU tobacco directive":

http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/products/revision/index_en.htm

Interesting.

 

[Richard Burley]

And now I'm reading about the "EU tobacco directive":

http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/products/revision/index_en.htm

Interesting.

Gubbermint petty tyrants at "work," protecting us from ourselves and evil businessmen. Paid for by taxes out the wazoo, which you will pay or go to prison. Saint-like, even god-like, I admire them very much, as they stride the earth like moral colossi.

 

[deathmetal]

Good analysis. I quote the man from your sig:

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. -- H. L. Mencken

The voters keep electing these manipulators, and no one seems to ever want change. Every year, a little worse.