KT&G stirs up competition in heated tobacco market
A model promotes KT&G's lil Hybrid tobacco heating device, which uses both tobacco stick and e-liquid at the same time, during a press conference at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
KT&G will release a new type of heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco and a device for smoking it, stirring up the competition between tobacco makers to occupy Korea's flourishing HNB market.
The tobacco maker revealed its lil Hybrid heating device, MIIX heating tobacco sticks and e-liquid exclusive for the device, at a press conference in Seoul, Monday.
The device will be available on Wednesday at three lil flagship stores in Gangnam and Dongdaemun, and Incheon's Songdo. It will be retailing at convenience stores in Seoul from Dec. 12.
“When we asked consumers about their difficulties with existing HNB tobacco products, they mentioned the musty smell, inconvenience of cleaning and less smoke,” Lim Wang-seop, chief of KT&G's innovative product department, said during a press conference at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul.
“We found the hybrid system is the ultimate solution to address these difficulties and the device gives the closest experience to actual smoking.”
The new device is a hybrid of a vapor and HNB cigarette, using both tobacco sticks and e-liquid at the same time. When vaped, the aerosol from the e-liquid cartridge passes through the stick tobacco to deliver the flavor and nicotine of the stick, creating a rich smoke and containing the musty smell, the company said.
Contrary to its previous lil devices, the hybrid device heats the outside of the stick, reducing residue.
For the device, KT&G developed an exclusive tobacco stick named MIIX and e-liquid, and designed lil Hybrid to operate only when those two are equipped. Also, it does not work when users try to use other HNB tobacco sticks or e-liquids.
“We also wanted to use the existing Fiit sticks of course,” Lim said. “But using Fiit sticks will create residue and may harm the durability of the device.”
Lil Hybrid is priced at 110,000 won and will be discounted to 83,000 won when users download an online coupon. For the first 150,000 customers, the company said it will offer the new device for 77,000 won.
MIIX come in three flavors -- MIIX Presso, MIIX Mix and MIIX Ice -- and they are 4,500 won per pack. An e-liquid cartridge is 500 won.
KT&G's lil is the No. 1 heating device on the Korean market, accounting for two-thirds of the entire market, the company said.
Philip Morris Korea released the new IQOS 3 and IQOS 3 Multi heating devices, which enable consecutive use without a recharge. British American Tobacco Korea also rolled out the upgraded glo Series 2 in July.