Dunhill Pipe Tobacco - A message from STG Lane

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beefeater33

Lifer
Apr 14, 2014
4,063
6,118
Central Ohio
At any rate the costs to obtain them will go up. I've heard it for years, and it's worth repeating...... "stock up, cause it ain't getting any cheaper"........... :puffy:

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,205
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Disclaimer: Unless you have an interest in the rather arcane business of business this will be a boring read.
Dunhill still means quality, very high end and expensive quality. The marque is updated, the labor intensive products gone, and no connection with tobacco products I know of today. The company manufactures nothing and is beholding only to Richemont (see below). It designs, contracts for and oversees the manufacture of, and vends clothing, pens, tie clips, leather cases and other items. But, they realized, sooner than many, pipe tobacco blending is a labor intensive operation with a shrinking market. No reason to play in that sandbox any longer and so rid themselves of the marque and the recipes, thus improving the financial health of their company. If the look of many of their products resembles Mont Blanc it's because Alfred Dunhill owns/owned Mont Blanc. Of course Richemont had a stake in Dunhill and the company which purchased the recipes and marque.
Richemont, an investment company, is the spider whose web holds interests in Alfred Dunhill and therefore Mont Blanc, British American Tobacco, Cartier as well as many other luxury companies. A superficial study of their purchases and divestitures will boggle the mind and at the same time fill in the blanks in re Alfred Dunhill and Dunhill tobacco products. Be prepared to devote time to your study. It boils down to neither Dunhill nor Alfred Dunhill are in control of their destinies and haven't been in many years.
As shareholders in Rothmans, BAT and other tobacco interests Richemont creates many of the mergers (sometimes the death of) of the brands they have a controlling interest in. They seem to be very good at growing profits through mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. BAT is really not in control of their destiny, they are simply one of the many pawns in play and Compagnie Financiere Richemont is the major player in the game.
The desires of our small population of pipes smokers here are only only important as they relate to the bottom line of Richemont with respect to the demise of Dunhill blends. I suspect the principals of Richemont are not interested in profit, they want PROFITS.
These are the guys Dan and company are up against. A few hundred thousand dollars is pocket change to Richemont should they desire to introduce new tobaccos. There are no PROFITS in pipe blends, and so, no interest in the market. Cigarettes are a different animal entirely. PROFITS are in cigarettes these days with respect to tobacco use. Too many hands involved in blending pipe tobacco for PROFITS. Fewer humans in cigarette manufacturing equals higher profits. Cigars are much the same in spite of the "hand rolled" claims. Machines have replaced the smooth, young thighs pretty much.
So, if you folks can recruit another 10 or 15 million pipe smokers, most of whom want Dunhill branded blends, you might get your Royal Yacht back.

 

cally454

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 31, 2012
205
0
^^^spot on^^. They'll probably pay lip service too " it's for the greater good,children, and health". If that segment had the profits and volume they're accustomed too they'd run the pc' police over with their tobacco distribution trucks

 

ophiuchus

Lifer
Mar 25, 2016
1,557
2,052
@Leonard Wortzel Thank you. The news is appreciated, as well as updates.
I guess hoarding wasn't so crazy after all. If it all pans out for the worse, it won't be the first time Dunhill disappeared from American shelves. :x

 

p4ttythep3rf3ct

Might Stick Around
Mar 2, 2015
71
16
@Beefeater USA and Netherlands, at least, both mentioned in the same week. I imagine this is it, worldwide, for Dunhill pipe tobacco. Until someone buys it, changes the blend ever so slightly, and reintroduces it for the world to crave.

 

cally454

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 31, 2012
205
0
It just dawned on me that Dunhill tobacco was the only product that didn't fit their business model. I might be mistaken but I don't know of any of their other products that they actually competed with the masses in the market place. All of Dunhill's product offerings are marketed as an image brand and had the price tag to go along with that marketing. Many would argue it's the same with the pipes. The tobaccos are some of the best values in the marketplace IMHO. Some of the sales our sponsors put on were unbelievable. They control their retail environment so nobody's getting a deal on anything else. It could be as simple as that, they want to cease brand erosion. The negative connotation with smoking and lower profits would factor in as well. Coach pulled out of Macy's months ago for the same reason. Too steep of discounts made them look cheap.

 

perdurabo

Lifer
Jun 3, 2015
3,305
1,575
LOL, thank god we got some news from someone who knows wtf their talking about. Looks like BAT was looking for any reason to Dump the Pipe and Pipe tobacco. Their business and their decision. Royal Yacht (the new incarnation) is by far the only tobacco that's worth crying about IMHO, but that'll only last for about a second( there we go, tissue anyone?) I'd rather spend the money elsewhere, than to give it to another PC(In this instance Government Worshipping) Company that supports flat out tyranny. Now the company may not want to be involved in the pipe tobacco business and that's fair, at least they can sell the blends to Someone, make some capital and everybodies happy. If not, their PC Scumbags. Smoke Cornell and Diehl instead.

 

perdurabo

Lifer
Jun 3, 2015
3,305
1,575
On the serious note, I'll step out of the way and allow those who love these blends to have one less horder to deal with. "In Royal Yacht We Trust"
Time to sail another ship, Black Frigate, anyone.

 

cally454

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 31, 2012
205
0
If they're doing it for PC reasons, I can't see them selling the rights. The bean counters are going to ask the CEO if he wants to be dragged into a lawsuit in 10 years ala Cigarettes because their names on the tin. Just the formula makes no sense to me.
It's alarming to me. They may not make your favorites but when they come to take your brand down...

 

pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,268
4,261
Read the original post carefully.

"Here is what we know: BAT plans to cease trading Dunhill Pipe Tobacco in the U.S. in the next 12 - 18 months. The decision was the result of an internal BAT business review."
According to that one line, BAT is planning to stop selling pipe tobacco in the U.S. It doesn't address whether they are stopping all production or stopping selling pipe tobacco in the UK or Europe.

 
According to that one line, BAT is planning to stop selling pipe tobacco in the U.S. It doesn't address whether they are stopping all production or stopping selling pipe tobacco in the UK or Europe.

This thread started in another thread with Arnie saying that Dunhill was no longer going to be selling pipe tobacco in Holland. So... between the two posts, we can deduce that this is not just an American thing.

 

daveinlax

Charter Member
May 5, 2009
1,989
2,651
WISCONSIN
Funny, Dunhill will most likely continue making cologne.
It just dawned on me that Dunhill tobacco was the only product that didn't fit their business model. I might be mistaken but I don't know of any of their other products that they actually competed with the masses in the market place. All of Dunhill's product offerings are marketed as an image brand and had the price tag to go along with that marketing. Many would argue it's the same with the pipes.
Keep in mind this is not Alfred Dunhill ltd. this is about British American Tobacco. 8O

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,205
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
In many fewer words this time: It's not about the wants/needs/desires of a few pipe smokers! I also doubt BAT made the decision, the "Mother Ship" most likely was the final arbiter. Perhaps they also originated the idea after evaluating BAT and finding doing away with "Dunhill" branded pipe tobacco blends would improve the "bottom line." The luxury cigarettes are being continued. That alone speaks volumes.
So, it's not a so-called "PC" issue as the Dunhill name will still face packages of luxury cigarettes.
Perhaps the situation will change in the future. They still own the name and recipes; so they can revive the brand should it become economically sound to do so. Again, convince a few millions of people to take up the pipe, make the recipes valuable again.
After reviving "Dunhill" pipe blends perhaps we can do the same for Pontiac, Bovril (in America), the Mountain Bar, and other departed brands we grew up with. Puffed Rice? Saab? Stinson? The list of revered, long departed brands is nearly endless.
Dan? Any thought to reviving Saab? You guys are doing a decent job with your tobaccos. Perhaps you are ready for a new challenge?

 
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