JTI bullish on Greece’s heated tobacco sector, launches new Ploom brand

JTI Hellas, part of the Japanese tobacco giant Japan Tobacco International, has recently entered Greece’s heated tobacco segment with the launch of the global Ploom brand. Greece is among the first ten markets in Europe to introduce Ploom products. This is seen as an important milestone for JTI in the Greek market.

According to the company’s CFO, Babis Thamnidis, Ploom is an ambitious brand that has already delivered strong market performance in Japan and is now being gradually rolled out across Europe. Designed for adult consumers, it offers a new enjoyment experience that combines attractive modern design with advanced technology.

JTI places a high value on technology and positions Ploom as an aesthetically appealing, technologically advanced reduced-risk product. The JT Group plans to invest €3 billion in this field over the next three years. Mr. Thamnidis noted that selecting Greece as one of the first countries to launch Ploom reflects the rapid development of this category in the local market, while also recognizing JTI’s stable, ongoing, and strong investment presence in Greece.

JTI has been active in Greece since 1981. Its successful operating history in the country has made it a leading player in the traditional tobacco products market, as well as the largest direct foreign investor and tobacco product manufacturer in Northern Greece. In 2018, after its SEKAP factory in Xanthi, Greece was integrated into the Japan Tobacco Group, the facility underwent modernization upgrades.

Mr. Thamnidis emphasized that the new investment is a clear renewal of the company’s confidence in the Greek market and marks the continuation of a successful journey. He pointed out that JTI currently purchases around one-third of Greece’s total domestic tobacco output to supply its global products.

The company also plays an important role in Greece’s labor market, providing 300 high-quality direct jobs and indirectly supporting more than 50,000 families. Since 2013, it has consistently been recognized as a top employer in Greece.

JTI’s investment in Greece is more than just a company’s commercial expansion into a new and dynamic product category. More importantly, it reflects the company’s strategic shift toward sustainability and innovation for the benefit of consumers.