I’m fortunate to get regular news out of Kretek International, who owns Ventura Cigars, and has been partnering with Drew Estate on one of their newest Archetype offerings. While the TPE show isn’t all about cigars, it’s about tobacco products in general, premium cigar companies do exhibit at the show, and, to the show’s credit, they welcome the media with open arms. Maybe one of these days I’ll be able to get to Vegas for this show and see what it’s all about. I’ll have to see what February vacation time, airfares and hotels look like! Now, I don’t know that this “West Coast Barn Smoker” at the TPE show is going to be open to the public, the way I read it, it looks like it’s just for attendees of the show, but maybe there will be enough interest amongst the attendees there to make something like that happen!
As the first big tradeshow of the new year, TPE 2019 brings together the entire tobacco industry for three days of networking, learning, exhibiting, and buying. It’s a show aimed at building relationships and partnerships, and honoring every facet of our ever-evolving, always-growing industry.We’re expecting hundreds of brands, thousands of products, and a whole lot of buyers ready to buy. Whether you’re an exhibitor, retailer, or a media partner, we’re hedging our bets that you’ll want to be in Las Vegas and at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the show from Monday, February 11 through Wednesday February 13.
As Lady Luck would have it, Drew Estate is bringing their popular Barn Smoker event to TPE. The first ever West Coast Barn Smoker will be held exclusively at TPE, in the cigar lounge during all three days of the show, offering an interactive, entertaining, and educational experience that celebrates the American tobacco industry. The brainchild of Jonathan Drew, these Drew Estate Barn Smoker events bring cigar aficionados, businesses, and brands to the barn level to learn about tobacco growing, processing, and manufacturing. The West Coast Barn Smoker will be a remarkable TPE experience that should not be missed.
In addition to adding entertaining events, the Tobacco Media Group (TMG) is betting on success for its exhibitors and attendees by bringing in an exclusive advisory board as they develop this year’s show. Comprised of manufacturers and retailers, the board’s main role is to offer insights and guidance on creating a tradeshow experience that everyone can benefit from. And they’ve brought in industry veteran Dawn Conger to utilize her expertise from years of running IPCPR and other tobacco-related events. The TPE team has further stacked the deck with opportunity for retailers, distributors, and manufacturers, starting with NATO’s Industry Outlook on Monday, February 11 before the show floor opens at 1pm. This important seminar will provide insights on growth and trends, guiding retailers as they later browse in the exhibition space. And a NATO cocktail reception at 4pm will cap the day with time to mingle, talk with colleagues, and toast to industry-wide profits in 2019.
Leaving nothing to chance, additional educational seminars will be held throughout the show, offering information about various aspects of the premium tobacco industry, guiding retailers’ growth initiatives and providing insight to exhibitors about current customer demands. These seminars include:
• “Driving Profits, Inventory Management, Point of Sales Systems, and Customer Loyalty Programs”
• “Wall Street Update on the Tobacco Industry”
• And the just-announced “Best Practices Executing Core Tobacco Categories in the C-Store Market” moderated by Angel ABCEDE from TPE’s partner, CSP.
“Everything’s coming up Aces for TPE 2019,” says Jason Carignan, CMO of Kretek, parent company of TMG. “The premium tobacco industry is going to be well-educated and well-represented at the show. We’ve reached beyond the expected, and have brought together a diverse group of speakers and topics, an exclusive Drew Estate West Coast Barn Smoker, and exhibitors committed to showing products that consumers will want. And TPE 2019 buyers stretch across the United States and into international markets, giving exhibitors exceptional reach and opportunity. TPE 2019 is giving everyone a chance to take stock of our marketplace, exchange ideas, explore new profit channels, and celebrate the industry that we all enjoy being a part of. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!”
TPE 2019 takes place from Monday, February 11 through Wednesday, February 13, 2019 in lucky Las Vegas. Whether you’re an exhibitor, retailer, or member of the media, don’t leave your 2019 growth and profits up to chance. Visit www.tobaccoplusexpo.com to reserve your booth or tickets to attend the show.
# # #
About TPE:
Under the banner of Tobacco Media Group (TMG) and its Tobacco Business Magazine, (both owned by Kretek International), Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE) is the largest B2B tobacco trade show highlighting the full-spectrum of tobacco, vapor, alternatives and general merchandise products available on the ever-evolving market. TPE 2019 is planning to deliver the industry’s most compelling content, products, and information, and will be held February 11-February 13, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. To learn more about the show, please visit the website: www.tobaccoplusexpo.com.
About NATO
Now in its 16th year, the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, Inc. (NATO) is a national trade association organized to strengthen the business interests of all tobacco retailers on a collaborative and individual basis. Headquartered in Minneapolis, it assists its members throughout the country to respond to and stay atop the pulse of tobacco-related legislation on the local, state and federal levels. NATO will be holding its Industry Outlook 2019 event on February 11, 2019. To learn more about NATO, please visit the website: www.natocentral.org.
Thanks to Kevin at CigarProp.com, there will also be one of his Lighter Bleed Tools included!
