Imperial Tobacco Tests Caffeine Strips

Touted as an alternative to energy drinks, Reon caffeine strips are part of diversification strategy for U.K. tobacco company.

January 29, 2015

LONDON – Imperial Tobacco, owner of the Davidoff, Gauloises and Embassy cigarette brands, is launching a brand of edible caffeine strips in an effort to diversify as cigarette sales decline. The British multinational is testing Reon caffeine strips in Manchester, England, the U.K. city with the second highest consumption (after London) of energy drinks.

According to a report in Ad Age, a range of three flavors — grapefruit & zing, blackcurrant & fresh, lemon & hot — was launched at a publicity event this week, featuring a DJ, yoga lessons, massages and breakfast.

The new brand, which is also available online in the U.K., is being promoted with the line, "Reon. Bring it on," and is aimed at professionals aged 25 to 45. A pack of eight strips costs $4, with each stick containing 20mg of caffeine, or roughly a third of the amount in a shot of espresso. The sticks, which are sugar-free and contain only one calorie each, dissolve on the tongue to give an instant energy hit.

A subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco, Fontem Ventures, was formed in 2013 as part of a drive toward diversification and is behind the development of Reon. Olga Rusnak, lifestyle energy category director at Fontem Ventures, said in a statement, "Manchester seemed like the perfect place for our pilot launch. Reon is for people looking for a quicker, more convenient and smarter alternative to their usual caffeinated soft drinks."

Reon is not the first caffeine strip on the market: basketball player LeBron James launched Sheets with Florida-based Purebrands in 2011.

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