2025 – A focused strategy
Five years after the launch of a transformational strategy that unites the disparate elements of Imperial's acquisitional history, a focused strategy evolves to steer the company through to 2030.
2024 – Entering the Zone
Zone is introduced as a distinctive challenger brand in the fast-growing modern oral nicotine category in the US. The product is differentiated from competitors through its soft pouch material which delivers higher moisture content.
Our next generation products are now available to more than 200 million adult smokers in more than 20 markets.
2023 – Combustibles share stabilised
Cigarette market share across our most important markets is stabilised after a period of losses.
Imperial expands its blu range of rechargeable vaping products to include blu bar kit with expanded flavours, created in response to deep consumer insight.
2022 and 2023 – New ways to innovate
A new partnership approach to innovation delivers a step change in product development and launches. blu 2.0, the first product to be delivered from our refocused innovation pipeline, is rolled out in France, UK and Spain, among other markets. An all-new Pulze 2.0 is also introduced, and multiple new flavours are added to our modern oral portfolio in Europe.
2021 – Feeling the Pulze
As part of our commitment to a healthier future, our heated tobacco device Pulze is launched in Europe through pilots in the Czech Republic and Greece. Its performance exceeds expectations and by mid-2023 it had been rolled out to a further five markets.
2016 – Imperial Brands is born
Imperial Tobacco is renamed Imperial Brands, reflecting the company’s expansion into potentially less harmful alternatives to traditional tobacco products.
2015 – ITG and the USA
Imperial acquires additional cigarette brands in the United States such as Winston and Kool, cigar brands including Backwoods and Dutch Masters, and the international rights to the blu vapour brand. These assets are merged with Imperial’s existing portfolio within Commonwealth Brands to create a strengthened US challenger, ITG Brands.
2008 – Imperial further strengthened by Altadis
Imperial acquires Altadis, a few years after its creation from a merger of SEITA, the French national champion and Tabacalera, its Spanish equivalent. The deal combines the fourth and fifth largest international tobacco companies, and brings brands such as Gauloises, Spanish 'local jewels' Nobel and Fortuna and African brand Fine into our stable.
2007 – Imperial’s first entry into US market
Imperial takes its first footsteps into the American market with the acquisition of Commonwealth Brands, whose brands include USA Gold and Sonoma cigarettes and a number of fine cut brands.
2005 – Oral nicotine delivery
Skruf, a Swedish manufacturer of snus, is acquired by Imperial, marking a first foray into the world of oral nicotine delivery that would eventually include the sale of tobacco-free oral nicotine products. (See also 'snus rebels', below)
2004 – An evolution of vapour
Chinese inventor Hon Lik releases the first version of his e-cigarette, the Ruyan. Mr Hon would go on to share his company’s vapour assets and expertise with Imperial and supports its continuing development of the blu brand.
2003 – Snus rebels
Friends Adam Gillberg and Jonas Engwall create Skruf to provide an alternative to existing snus brands on the market in Sweden and release their first product.
2002 – A transformational deal
Imperial makes the transformational acquisition of Reemtsma, adding the international cigarette brands West and Davidoff to its portfolio and gaining a significant presence in Germany and in markets in Eastern Europe.
2001 – Extending into Africa
Imperial acquires a 75 per cent interest in Tobaccor, the second largest cigarette manufacturer and distributor in sub-Saharan Africa. The balance was acquired by the end of 2004.
1999 – Land down under
Following a merger between two competitors, Imperial is invited to enter the Australian market in September 1999, acquiring brands such as Horizon and Champion.
1996 – Independence Day
Imperial Tobacco Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange as an independent business following a decade as part of the Hanson conglomerate. At this point Imperial is still a predominantly a UK-focused business.
1981 – Challenging in Europe
Reemtsma launches West cigarettes in Germany, in direct challenge to the growing domination of premium American cigarette brands. In the same year, Nobel is launched by Tabacalera, immediately carving out a distinct market position in Spain with a similar challenger ethos. Both brands will later come into Imperial's portfolio.
1954 – Sports and slogans
The Winston brand is launched in the United States by RJ Reynolds, notable for its historic associations with both sport and the grammatically suspect “Winston tastes good like a cigarette should” strapline.
1910 – The French connection
In France, the Gauloises brand is created. The business later joins tobacco monopoly SEITA and merges with its Spanish counterpart, Tabacalera, in 1999 to become Altadis.
1910 – The birth of Reemtsma
Bernhard Reemtsma acquires a stake in Dixi, a German business that would later become the multinational Reemtsma company. Production skyrockets through automation, rising from 575,000 cigarettes per month in 1916 to 4 million just two years later.
1901 – Imperial becomes the challenger business to Duke
When an American business led by James Duke looks to buy up British tobacco companies with the aim of dominating the UK market, the previously divided Wills, Player, and Lambert and Butler companies come together, forming the Imperial Tobacco Company.
1886 – Rolling with the times
The Lacroix Rolling Paper Company swaps the tissue paper it had been using in production of rolling papers for rice paper. It adds the French word for rice – riz – to its name and replaces the 'croix' with a cross. The iconic Rizla brand is born.
1877 – John Player sets up shop
John Player buys a tobacco factory in Nottingham, a site that would become part of three production hubs in the city by the turn of the century. His name would be given to the famous John Player Special brand that continues to this day as JPS.
1834 – The four Charlies
Charles Lambert and Charles Butler form the company which would become L&B. They exhibit their products at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, before their sons – also Charles and Charles – take over the business in the late 19th century.
1786 – WD and HO Wills begin operations in Bristol
The company that would eventually form a founding element of Imperial Brands is born on Castle Street in Bristol, adding to the city’s reputation as a vibrant manufacturing hub.
1636 – The first tobacco company
In Spain, Tabacalera is formed under the name Estanco del Tabaco en España, making it the oldest tobacco company in the world. Centuries on, Tabacalera is merged with its French counterpart to form Altadis, a business subsequently acquired by Imperial in 2008.
