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200 MacBaren Blends Will Be Kept in Europe According to STG.
- Thread starter KennethR
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AroEnglish
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Thanks for sharing this. I missed this and hope STG will do more of these videos or articles.
It would be fair to say STG isn't exactly on the best terms with some of the USA and Sutliff pipe smoking community based on their recent decisions so that ongoing dialogue would be very welcome and I would enjoy reading and hearing more from STG leadership on there future steps and new projects.
I haven’t listened to any of Max’s interviews yet but Leonard wrote, spoke and answered questions for STG pretty clearly last month.
That may be true, and I’ve really enjoyed Leonard‘s candid comments on the Sutliff situation and explaining the history of blends, demand and the FDA rulings. But I would like to hear from STG senior leadership and understand their passion and vision for the brand that they bought for millions of dollars. I think the smokers of STG brands Deserve more communication.
I'm going to caveat this by saying I don't actually know if any of what I'm about to write is accurate. That said, I recall Leonard saying that HH Old Dark Fired only sold 100 pounds in an entire year in the entire German market. Given that I personally bought about 5-10% of what the entire German market purchased, I assume that it was vastly more popular in the US.
The conjecture part of my response is that Leonard also said that STG is considerably more cautious about the FDA rules and blends that were introduced after 2007 than non-publicly traded tobacco companies tend to be. HH Old Dark Fired didn't come onto the market until 2012. So my interpretation of their actions is that they are being cautious by not continuing to sell it in the US but still making it available to anyone willing to risk the shipping from Germany.
I think that's a fair assessment. However, since the blend was on the market prior to the cut off date in 2016 it's eligible for the "substantial equivalency" route, which is much less expensive than blends ushered in after 2016. Still, that's a cost that STD isn't likely to take, given their mantra to maximize profit. When a handful of blends sell more units than all the rest combined it's kind of a no brainer.
The thinking is to cater to the mass market since that's where the money is.
Yes I think the reduction of Mac B blends in the US was the least offensive STG move to the pipe market especially US, it was the closure of Sutliff and dismantling of their equipment providing that rumour is true.
Too bad they won't introduce any of the axed Sutliff blends in the market meaning those are lost everywhere
Absolutely, especially since Sutliff was the backbone of the industry in the US. So many brands are gonna be SOL if they can't get C&D to take over production
Just don't include SPC blends, which were blended FOR SPC by Sutliff. At least not yet. Per SPC social media posts, they're still working on getting a new blender. I'm sure if they find one, people will complain they're not 100% the same in taste, even if the percentages in the recipe are the exact same. But it's MUCH better than losing them forever. I hope C&D steps up to the plate.
actually you deserve the Mac Barren. Liberty went out the window when you did that thing on your 17th birthday, that's when the universe said keep that guy in check before he ruins it for everyone.
Or at least that is what my sources tell me.
Yeah I personally think of all the third party clients Sutliff blended for SPC has the best chance of getting picked up. Plum Pudding and Mississippi River will no doubt be continued if that happens, but I'm not so sure about the other blends. Hopefully most of the rest will make it too
nothing says thanks like cash, though baked goods are a close second
If they continue to make blends in the EU my guess is someone is going to make a deal to distribute some of the more popular blends to the US. This may take some of the legal heat off of STG in the US (maybe not, Im just guessing about that).
The arrangement would be much in the way GLP and C&D blends are distributed in Europe. We get a select few of them but we pay a considerable premium due to import and a larger group of middlemen.
This would allow production consolidation and the sale of more blends that are higher margins as well as creating higher production of those blends.
Again, its just a guess but I really dont think we have a view of STG's long game yet. I tend to think there are ideas happening onboard other than just owning a bigger slice of the tobacco market by purchasing something and then shutting it down.
For US guys Id also venture to guess that if you can get them prepare to pay more and prepare for Tin only prices.
The arrangement would be much in the way GLP and C&D blends are distributed in Europe. We get a select few of them but we pay a considerable premium due to import and a larger group of middlemen.
This would allow production consolidation and the sale of more blends that are higher margins as well as creating higher production of those blends.
Again, its just a guess but I really dont think we have a view of STG's long game yet. I tend to think there are ideas happening onboard other than just owning a bigger slice of the tobacco market by purchasing something and then shutting it down.
For US guys Id also venture to guess that if you can get them prepare to pay more and prepare for Tin only prices.
In another thread there was some speculation the reason they shut down Sutliff was to minimize the Mac Baren acquisition in order to avoid antitrust prosecution. It was also mentioned the reason the purchase was so rushed was because they wanted the deal finalized ASAP before Denmark's anti trust laws were strengthened. Agreed that we don't really know what they're planning long term, and who knows if it will go according to their plans. All we know is it won't be good for us the customers
Keep in mind that these blends being continued in Europe will again be reassessed once the Mac Baren factory in Svendborg is closed in about a year or two at the max. At that point any blends STG wants to continue will shift production to their factory in Assens. At the very least the coins will be different and less hand-made. The Capstan flakes may be good as STG has produced Capstan in the past. But one thing is for sure, it will come in a round tin with a sticker label (applied off center, with little air bubbles).