UK Market Germain's Availability?

[JohnClyde]

I don't suppose any of our UK forum members know anything about what's happened to Germains availability in the UK?

I've chatted to a couple of shop owners and I realise stock is flowing out of the country to the US and China...but it's been a year now of pretty much blanket 'out of stock' everywhere here.

Does anyone know if this is a permanent state of affairs?!

 

[ukbob]

Smokeking had some this morning.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

mysmokingshop seems to have plenty.

 

[JohnClyde]

That’s what I mean. SmokeKing now sold out and virtually all of mysmokingshop still out of stock...along with GQ, Turmeaus and Black Swann.

Not seen Medium Flake, Brown Flake, 1820 Flake and RDF freely available in a long time.

 

[greeneyes]

Email them with what you're after. They can set some aside for you. And yes, much of the product is sold to Asian buyers.

 

[pauls456]

It has been many months since any of the larger U.S. internet sellers had any Germains for sale online.

 

[mingc]

I wonder if Germain's sells to the public if you visit the factory in Jersey.

 

[northernpipeshed]

John Clyde.....I recognise that name....was it you who joined the Tamp and Puff forum just before it went .............erm .........................puufffffff!

.....a thoroughly nice sort of chap if I remember correctly

 

[Toast]

Yeah, it's been at least six months since I've seen any brown flake. Bloody annoying.

 

[JohnClyde]

Good to see you here northernpipeshed! I'm still missing T+P!

I wonder what proportion of sales the UK market still makes for Germains. I presume a significantly dwindling market, relative to those overseas.

 

[wyfbane]

I cannot answer your question, but also lament the scarcity of Germain's tobacco. Uncle Tom's, Eighteen Twenty, and Special Latakia Flake are scrumptious.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

As soon as it comes into stock it sells out. I've got a couple of pouches of Brown Flake (one of my favourite Virginias) but I've been taking it easy as I've no idea when it'll be back in stock. Germains should take a leaf out of Gawith's book, they always keep the home market well stocked.

 

[davidsaulmarshall]

I've heard rumblings that it may be Brexit related, though I'm skeptical because Jersey and the UK are part of the same customs union (at least as of Jan 21, 2021). I live out in Singapore and my tobacconist recently took delivery of a massive amount of Germain's, so they're certainly working!

 

[Toast]

Lucky you! I'm skeptical on that as well, I can't make that make sense either. GQ just got a delivery which was so small that they were only offering Uncle Tom's in 25g bags. (Grrr!)

What are the prices like in Singapore -? Are they making a killing?

 

[kcghost]

This run on Germain's sounds very familiar as the Great T.P. shortage of 2020.

 

[pauls456]

It's interesting that a big batch goes to Singapore, while there is none to be found in the US. Could this possibly be related to different wholesale and retail prices in the US and in Singapore? In other words, if there is more money to be made in Singapore...

 

[Jimmy_Jack]

Email them with what you're after. They can set some aside for you. And yes, much of the product is sold to Asian buyers.

Not a bashing comment at all but man they buy a lot of tobacco. A fella form another forum for cigars commented about a recent trip to cuba (pre/during Covid I cant recall). He said there were many fellas in suits that were surrounded by boxes and basically 'day trading' cigars. Not a single one of them were smoking.

 

[pauls456]

They may smoke more pipe tobacco in Asia, but any Germains product that comes to the US is immediately sold out. So its probably a pricing issue rather than a demand issue.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's pretty obvious that Germains just loves us better. It's our gristly American manner and handsome ruggedness.

 

[karam]

Germains should take a leaf out of Gawith's book, they always keep the home market well stocked.

Do you reckon it is Gawith keeping an eye on the UK market or just less ridiculous hoarding in the UK?

I have been buying SG from Germany for ages, and more recently GH as well as SG from another European market and there were never stocking issues. Denmark, Italy, France and Spain also seem well stocked in Gawith. Switzerland is very well stocked too.
My guess is the American, or US market is just far more greedy.